One of the key policies of the Republican platform is to completely eliminate illegal immigration. While this may seem beneficial, the sudden mass deportations of undocumented immigrants could have an extreme effect on American society. Whether you agree or not, immigrants are, and have always been, a crucial part of American society.
Undocumented immigrants contribute a substantial amount to the American economy; this is through labor and jobs that are mostly unwanted by U.S. citizens. Studies by the Center for Migration Studies of New York estimate that 5.2%, or 8.3 million, of workers in America are undocumented. Major job groups for those undocumented include agriculture, construction, maintenance, and food preparation. Their employers often exploit undocumented workers, which leads to poor treatment, low pay, and long hours. Since these professions heavily rely on these undocumented workers, an abrupt, widespread deportation of undocumented immigrants could cause labor shortages. Shortages of labor can cause reduced economic growth and inflation, which is a major concern for most Americans today.
Undocumented immigrants also pay several taxes, including property taxes, income taxes, and sales taxes. In 2022, the Institute On Taxation And Economic Policy conducted a study that found undocumented foreigners pay 96.7 billion dollars in taxes. They also found that a third of these taxes go towards funding projects like social security and Medicare even though these immigrants cannot access them. But how and why do they pay taxes? Undocumented immigrants can pay taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. This is a tax identification number given to foreigners without a Social Security number. Many immigrants pay taxes, thinking that it will help them become citizens in the future. This is majorly due to S. 744, an immigration bill from 2013 that would allow undocumented immigrants to apply for Registered Provisional Immigrant status if they have paid their taxes. If the government grants them this status, they could remain in the country with no worry of being deported.
Some common arguments against immigration include the idea that immigrant workers take jobs away from American citizens; this, however, is not true. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that an increase of immigration (illegal and legal) aligns with higher wages and more jobs available for American-born citizens. Another argument against immigration is that immigrants are the major source of crime in America. This is also not true, since illegal immigration does not correspond with crime rates. A study by the American Community Survey shows that undocumented and documented immigrants are significantly less likely to be incarcerated than are U.S. natives.
Although it is essential that those who immigrate here do so legally, the impact of undocumented immigrants is positive, and denying it is unacceptable. They make major contributions to the American economy through their labor and taxes. The calls to deport all “illegal” people in America would have an overall negative effect. These mass deportations could cause labor shortages, inflation, and decreases in federal, state, and local budgets. Undocumented immigrants have an important impact on American society.
Sources
https://itep.org/undocumented-immigrants-taxes-2024/
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/how-do-undocumented-immigrants-pay-federal-taxes-an-explainer/
