The Impact of Immigration: How Immigrants Do Not Steal American Jobs But Really Help the American Economy
Jobs are a major part of the country's economy. However, some say they are being stolen, there are no more job opportunities, and they are blaming immigrants for unemployment. Many people are not in favor of having immigrants work in jobs with them, when, in reality, they should actually look forward to having immigrant co-workers, employees, or bosses. People may think immigrants are stealing jobs when in reality they are making more jobs, changing the unemployment rate in a positive way, and helping native workers wage and income. “Immigrants who come to the United States with limited job skills and educational backgrounds are typically the most vulnerable when there are volatile changes in the job market, he said. They also, however, tend to be more flexible in a bad economic environment, willing to move from one region or occupation to another'' (O'Brien). When someone hears immigrants stealing jobs they instantly think of undocumented immigrants stealing jobs. However, Matt O’Brien shows the number of jobs both documented and undocumented immigrants have taken up. Regardless of their skill or educational background. Most of these jobs that were taken have been the ones that were created by immigrants or shunned by native workers. That brings up the question: are jobs being stolen by the new immigrants coming into the country? No, they are not. In fact, immigrants help the economy by creating new jobs, raise the employment rates, causing the unemployment rates to drop, and help the wage concern most native workers are concerned about.
Immigrants do not steal jobs, but rather they create new ones. Even some of the biggest companies in the United States are created by immigrants. There would not be such luxuries like Panda Express or Kohl’s if it was not for immigrants. “High-skilled immigrants, especially in technology and science, who have come in larger numbers in recent years, had a significant 'positive impact' on Americans with skills, and also on working-class Americans. They spurred innovation, helping to create jobs” (Preston). These are the workers you see creating these big corporations. They have given many native workers jobs where they were needed, thus “spurring innovation.” However, most immigrants coming into this country do not thrive as much as the ones who made these big successful companies. Many of them create blue-collar jobs. In essence, a blue-collar job can be defined as a job that is most prominent in manual labor. For instance, this can include jobs like roofing, gardening, plumbing, construction, and electrical jobs. Immigrants with a lack of a stable and education create blue-collar jobs while immigrants with a better education create more white-collar jobs.
If immigrants did not “steal” jobs the unemployment rates would not go down as drastically as it is right now. If it was visualized on a graph the unemployment rates would either stay the same with a gradual rise or rise up in an abrupt manner. Immigrants creating jobs cause the employment rate to rise and unemployment to drop. In fact, in the year 2013, “203,000 jobs were created in November and the unemployment rate fell to 7%” (Dearie and Geduldig). This is another win. In fact, “Immigrants represent 13% of the U.S. population but account for nearly 20% of small business owners. Immigrant-owned small businesses employed nearly five million Americans in 2010 and generated an estimated $776 billion in revenue, according to a June 2012 study from the Fiscal Policy Institute” (Dearie and Geduldig). This is not just showing the unemployment rates but also the amount each type of company makes. Two good things are coming out of this which are unemployment rates are dropping, and it is helping the economy. The wage concern is also beginning to be not much of a problem anymore. At least native workers' wages are not being affected by immigrants. The wage concern should not be much of a concern to native-born workers because if they would have an optimistic view on this they would be satisfied with the results.
Compared to native workers, immigrants are harder workers. A decade ago a woman named Louise chose to hire undocumented immigrants for her landscaping business. At first, she was really skeptical, but she later came to realize it was one of her best decisions she ever made. The interviewer states that “She remembers struggling to finish projects while her workers balked at long hours and spent much of their time leaning on shovels. ‘We like to say they worked for 15 minutes and admired for 45,’ she says” (Collins). In this, she is talking about the college students, she had first hired before the undocumented immigrants. She states that “they were the ones who built the business.” They made someone change their mind from not liking the idea of undocumented immigrants working for her to only hiring them.“ ‘People who are really unhappy with their jobs do not do great work,’ she says” (Collins).
This goal, this aspiration, this ambition is what they all want. In all cultures, family is really important. Coming from an immigrant family, I know family comes before anything else, especially because you are in a foreign country and you have to stand by each other so no one falls behind. Parents will give up virtually anything in order for their kids to succeed in this country. Yes, every parent wants what is best for their kid but it is different for immigrant parents. All of this motivation built up behind them makes their work style much different from native workers.
“A large share of U.S. immigrants are relatively less skilled. Foreign-born U.S. working-age residents are far more likely to be high school dropouts, for example, than natives. About 32 percent of illegal immigrants have less than a ninth-grade education, compared with 15 percent of legal immigrants and 2 percent of the native-born population” (Campbell). Most immigrants that come here do not have an ideal education. Immigrants who have a lower education tend to create blue-collar jobs that do not require much skill. In fact, that is okay though, because either way they are creating jobs, filling in jobs natives often shun, and creating or filling in jobs in labor scarce locations. These are the only four things that immigrants do with jobs. More power to the immigrants who had a solid education, because they create larger corporations creating jobs nationwide, not just locally. Every immigrant has one thing in common and it is the determination they have to give the next generation a better education and life than the one that they grew up with.
A big issue concerning the amount of money one would get if immigrants really do begin to “steal jobs” is rising up. Not only does the incorporation of immigrants help the immigrants themselves but also the native workers. The native workers fail to understand that they are there to help. In most cases, though the wage concern or the wage problem does not have much effect. 'We found little to no negative effects on overall wages and employment of native-born workers in the longer term,'' said Francine D. Blau” (Preston). There is almost no evidence stating that the wages of native workers go down due to immigration. It may go down due to other things but not just immigration. “Some immigrants who arrived in earlier generations, but were still in the same low-wage labor markets as foreigners just coming to the country, earned less and had more trouble finding jobs because of the competition with newer arrivals” (Preston). On the other hand, immigrants are the ones who suffer a little bit more than native workers. This is because most of the jobs immigrants work in or create are the ones with very low wages. A big part of that could be because of the educational background most immigrants had before coming to the United States.
In the long run, immigrants do not take jobs but create new ones. There is and has been no evidence saying that immigrants are actively stealing jobs. Yet native workers fail to recognize the new jobs that are created. They only want what is best for them and begin to defend themselves with false arguments. Native workers overlook the new jobs created by immigrants because they do not want to work for someone who “took their jobs.” Although there are some native workers who actually stop and take the time to think about taking these job opportunities, some native workers would see this as a chance to get on with their life and almost give it a boost or step up in a way.
Bibliography
Campbell, Doug. "The (Illegal) Immigrant Effect." Region Focus, Summer, 2006. SIRS Issues Researcher. Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This article focuses on the benefits of immigration, but it also chooses to write about the struggles immigrants have to succeed here. It proves points on Hispanic growth in areas. Most importantly, it focuses on the job and wage impact immigrants bring to businesses when they come over.
Collins, Kristin. "'I'm Taking the Job You Wouldn't do'." News & Observer, 15 Mar 2009. SIRS Issues Researcher.Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This news article goes above and beyond proving how immigrants fill in the jobs no native worker wants. Collins goes on to talk about how it was the best thing that could happen to the business. Collins says that immigrants are the hardest workers and compared to the native workers that were hired the immigrants were the best in this field of work.
Dearie, John, and Courtney Geduldig. "More Immigration Means More Jobs for Americans." Wall Street Journal, 30 Dec 2013. SIRS Issues Researcher. Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This is the main source that provides most of the important information, quotes, and points that I can see myself using in this and future projects. It gives a little bit of everything. It goes over the history of job opportunities and the economic contribution immigrants bring, but it also gives statistics and numbers to help support the argument.
O'Brien, Matt. "Foreign-Born Workers Find Jobs Faster, Study Reports." Contra Costa Times, 29 Oct 2010. SIRS Issues Researcher. Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This news article is on the other side of the argument I'm trying to prove. Although it has a really good point that can help prove the argument I'm countering in this article, there are good quotes that can be used in the persuasive essay to prove my point.
Preston, Julia. "Americans Aren't Being Squeezed Out of Jobs by Immigrants, Report Finds." New York Times, 22 Sept. 2016, p. A16(L). Gale In Context:
Global Issues. Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This is the second source that could be used the most. It proves every point possible in this argument. This shows the impact on wages and job opportunities immigrants bring, not just any kind of impact but a positive impact.
This article focuses on the benefits of immigration, but it also chooses to write about the struggles immigrants have to succeed here. It proves points on Hispanic growth in areas. Most importantly, it focuses on the job and wage impact immigrants bring to businesses when they come over.
Collins, Kristin. "'I'm Taking the Job You Wouldn't do'." News & Observer, 15 Mar 2009. SIRS Issues Researcher.Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This news article goes above and beyond proving how immigrants fill in the jobs no native worker wants. Collins goes on to talk about how it was the best thing that could happen to the business. Collins says that immigrants are the hardest workers and compared to the native workers that were hired the immigrants were the best in this field of work.
Dearie, John, and Courtney Geduldig. "More Immigration Means More Jobs for Americans." Wall Street Journal, 30 Dec 2013. SIRS Issues Researcher. Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This is the main source that provides most of the important information, quotes, and points that I can see myself using in this and future projects. It gives a little bit of everything. It goes over the history of job opportunities and the economic contribution immigrants bring, but it also gives statistics and numbers to help support the argument.
O'Brien, Matt. "Foreign-Born Workers Find Jobs Faster, Study Reports." Contra Costa Times, 29 Oct 2010. SIRS Issues Researcher. Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This news article is on the other side of the argument I'm trying to prove. Although it has a really good point that can help prove the argument I'm countering in this article, there are good quotes that can be used in the persuasive essay to prove my point.
Preston, Julia. "Americans Aren't Being Squeezed Out of Jobs by Immigrants, Report Finds." New York Times, 22 Sept. 2016, p. A16(L). Gale In Context:
Global Issues. Accessed Nov 5, 2020.
This is the second source that could be used the most. It proves every point possible in this argument. This shows the impact on wages and job opportunities immigrants bring, not just any kind of impact but a positive impact.