Rostam Blog
Does the American economy need more immigrants?
In this year’s hotly contested US presidential campaign, Mexican immigrants are being painted as mooches spilling over our southern border. According to one candidate, they are such a problem that a massive concrete wall must be erected to keep them out. Reality is much different. Indeed, the inflow of Mexican immigrants today is a small fraction of what it once was, off nearly 90 percent from its peak in the year 2000. Net migration from Mexico is actually negative, regardless all the bloviating about in campaign speeches. Still, family immigration, naturalization & citizenship and deportation defense remain challenging issues that must remain in the forefront of public conversation after the election is over.
Labor Shortages
Another piece to this puzzle is the amount of labor provided by Mexican immigrants. With unemployment at less than 5 percent nationwide, businesses in the US are having trouble finding workers, especially for low-skilled positions. These are jobs that have long been filled by Mexican immigrants, even though most were undocumented because our current system of visas does not offer much leeway for guest workers. There is a large void being created that can be filled by Mexican workers, and the help of a good immigration attorney.
Borders
Today, border enforcement is stringent and does not resemble the porous border being decried by politicians. With hundreds of miles of fences, 20,000 Border Patrol agents, cameras and sensors, and surveillance drones, entering the country illegally is difficult and dangerous. Even more, an aggressive deportation program by the current administration has made living and working in the US for undocumented immigrants tenuous at best, often requiring deportation defense to successfully fight. Far fewer migrants make the journey these days, but death rates are high, with 200 – 300 people dying each year in the attempt to cross the southern US border.
Increased Economic Prosperity in Mexico
Jobs are becoming more plentiful in Mexico, including those jobs that offer benefits and pensions. Inflation and government debt are low, and the government has enacted reforms to offer safety nets for the poor and elderly people in the forms of welfare and medical coverage. We have seen the end of large-scale exodus to the north for Mexican migrant workers as the quality of life has improved greatly.
Encouraging Labor Flows
The most important hurdles to be jumped in encouraging labor flows and benefitting both Mexico and the United States is created clear, legal channels for family immigration, and easier naturalization and citizenship for those who choose to make America their permanent home. Additionally, a temporary worker program could help alleviate labor shortages, employ those willing to travel to the United States for work, and offer them a taste of living in the country. Without changing our current laws, the US is expected to enter a state of chronic shortages of workers. This will lead to higher prices and longer wait times in the service sector. In agriculture and goods, it means offshoring production and imports. Today more than ever, we need good worker programs to attract investment and demand for native and foreign labor. After all, our economic growth is good now and we want it to continue; for that to happen, we’ll need programs for Mexican workers to legally gain visas to work in the United States. If you face any immigration issues, from deportation defense to visas or family immigration, you need an experienced and competent immigration attorney to guide you.