June 14, 2013. The blog Redefining Welcome interviews David Dyssegaard Kallick about FPI’s recent report on immigration.
“Legalization is the right thing to do, not least because it is our only practical option. You simply can’t deport 11 million people. But, I think it’s important to know that this will also be good for the American economy. I wouldn’t overstate the gains. Undocumented immigrants make up five percent of the country’s labor force—that’s enough to matter, but not enough to dramatically swing the economy one way or the other.
“That said, a 10 percent improvement in their wages, a leveling of the playing field for businesses in regions and industries with undocumented workers, full and equal participation in systems for taxation and services—those will all help increase economic productivity.”