Report Shows Legalization of Undocumented Immigrants Would Benefit U.S. Economy

That is what a new report out from the Immigration Policy Center says.

According to their report titled, The Economics of Immigration Reform: What Legalizing Undocumented Immigrants Would Mean for the U.S. Economy, without Comprehensive Immigration Reform the United States cannot experience full economic recovery.

Research included in the report found that:

Legalization increases government revenues by bringing more workers into the tax system.

Workers with legal status earn and spend more.

“Enforcement-only” policies are expensive and ineffective.

Legalization increases immigration’s economic benefits.

Among other things, the report shows that legalization would increase tax revenue; whereas "enforcement only" policies have served to force undocumented labor underground causing a a decrease in revenue.

What about those that already pay taxes into the system? The report states that "between one-half and three-quarters of undocumented immigrants now work “on the books” and pay federal and state income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes", however are ineligible to receive the benefits they are paying for.

This is report is just another piece of evidence why Congress needs to be swift in passing Fair and Just Immigration Reform this year.

To read the full report, please link here, or visit the Immigration Policy Center at www.immigrationpolicy.org

Posted in: immigrant workers,Immigration Policy Center,Legalization,Report,The Economics of Immigration Reform,Undocumented Immigrant Taxpayers