Proposed immigration reform is needed to offset problems of America?s aging population
Sam Fraser
Staff Writer
Blueprint Cartoon/Ruth Shaffer
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Since English settlers first arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607,America has been a nation of immigrants. For the more than 200 years since our independence, our nation has grown from the Atlantic to the Pacific and beyond. But as of the 21st century, that expansion, at least territorially speaking, is over. Despite the end of manifest destiny, the flow of immigration has not stopped, which has spurred controversy.
In the past several decades, immigration has become a scapegoat issue, with the continuing influx of immigrants, both legal and illegal, blamed for various problems, primarily rising unemployment and competition for jobs.
However, most of these assumptions are based on economic fallacy. The first mistake is the assumption of a stagnant economy, rather than an ever-expanding market in constant need of human capital. This leads to a second assumption that, for every working immigrant in the U.S., a domestic American-born worker will lose a job. Again, because of the expanding economy and diverse array of available jobs, this is not necessarily true.
This brings us to the real issue with immigration. Through the media and political talking points, it is often hard to see that illegal and legal immigration are two completely separate issues. The fundamental problem with illegal immigration is simply that it is illegal. It is in theory absurd to reward those who have broken our nation?s laws with citizenship and the many benefits it brings, but it is equally absurd to assume that we can ship the millions of such people now living in the U.S. back to their respective countries, which would cost us far more than simply allowing illegal immigrants to stay.
To date, President Obama has proposed fairly logical solutions. According to whitehouse.gov, illegal immigrants will have to take responsibility for their actions, registering to go through extensive background checks, paying fines and taxes, and learning English before earning citizenship.
His other goals outlined also include improvements to the system of legal immigration, including encouraging talented foreign students pursuing higher education to stay and become productive citizens. In addition, he has proposed new ways for businesses to ensure that their employees are here legally.
While this accounts for the issues of both legal immigration and illegal immigrants already living in America, one issue is left unaccounted for. How can we secure our borders to prevent future illegal immigration?
We really don?t have to. In Mexico and South America, economies are picking up. Rates of immigration, legal and illegal, have fallen sharply. Soon, the flow of immigrants across America?s borders may stop altogether.
Superficially, this appears to be good news. We will no longer have to deal with illegal immigrants, and there will be more jobs left for domestic, American workers. While there is some merit to this, the issue goes far deeper.
The strength of the American state relies completely on a vibrant, growing economy. A growing economy relies on a healthily expanding population. Currently, America does not have that.
Since the 1950?s baby boom, for various reasons, the national fertility rate (births per woman of birthing age) has been dropping. As expenses like college, housing, and other things associated with raising children shoot up, couples are having fewer, sometimes no, children.
The now rapidly aging population compounds this problem. People in America are living much longer than they used to, but retiring at about the same time. This causes problems with government expenses, with many more people requiring many more payments in social security and medicare.
In order for the pursuit of economic growth to be practical, a country needs a large, expanding taxpayer base. Due to falling fertility rates, America?s taxpayer base relative to the number of people receiving government payments is becoming troublingly disproportionate.
This returns us to immigration. Many developed nations throughout the world, like Germany and Japan, are far further down this problematic road than America. America has been spared by immigration, which some try to blame for our many problems.
A steady flow of young, productive workers from foreign countries has kept true pains of population stagnancy at bay for decades. Although most of America is just below the replacement fertility rate (the number of babies born each year needed to sustain population, around 2.1 births per woman), we have yet to see some of the worst effects of this due to large immigration numbers. Immigrants living in the U.S. have a much higher fertility rate, around 2.68.
Unfortunately, because of new job opportunities in Central and South America, immigration to the U.S. is slowing, and more workers are choosing to stay in their home countries. While this shows strength in the world economy, it poses major problems to the US.
In order to curb illegal immigration, while at the same time encouraging a steady influx of legal immigrants, President Obama and Congress should work to find a comprehensive system that would make it easier for young, hard working people wishing to look for opportunity in the US to do so legally. Legislators must create a smooth, fair pathway allowing these immigrants to merge into American society and become productive, tax-paying citizens, putting money back into the system that has benefited them.
With the issue of immigration reform behind us, Congress and the President might be able to fix the larger, more pressing issues. After all, we?re still in over $16 trillion of debt.
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Opinion stories reflect the opinion of the writer and are independent of the Acalanes Blueprint and the school itself. Questions? Comments? Feel free to contact us at acalanesblueprint@gmail.com
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Source: http://acalanesblueprint.com/2013/03/11/immigrants-fuel-americas-economy-and-population/
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