Immigrants wages compete with slave labor of prisoners.
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Do immigrants really hurt native labor?
Low-skilled workers actually push the better-qualified into higher-paying jobs, study
says
by Michele R. Marcucci
Contact Michele at
mmarcucci@angnewspapers.com
or (510) 208-6434
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/ci_5321028
The influx of immigrants to California has bettered the lot of native workers here,
says a new Public Policy Institute of California report released Tuesday - a finding
that seems likely to stir fresh controversy in the debate over immigration reform.
Looking at census data from 1960 to 2004, University of California, Davis, economist
Giovanni Peri found no evidence that the influx of immigrants to the state worsened
employment opportunities for natives with similar education and experience, and that
immigrants didn't push natives out of California.
Citing previous studies, Peri said immigrant workers serve as complements to native
workers instead of competing with them for jobs. He said based on their education and
experience, immigrant workers are more likely to take lower-level jobs, pushing
native workers into mid-level and supervisorial posts they are better positioned to
fill.
Between 1990 and 2004, as the percentage of immigrants in California's labor force
rose, immigration helped boost natives' wages as much as 7 percent, even giving a
tiny bump to native high school dropouts.
But earlier generations of immigrants - with whom, Peri said, newer immigrants are
competing for jobs - saw significant wage declines, his study shows.
"There is a good economic case for having immigration both at the low and the high
end of the education spectrum," Peri said. "This research will say that a
well-organized program that allows some legal way for less-educated workers to work
in the United States will benefit the rest of American workers." He said American
workers also would benefit from expanded immigration for highly educated workers.
Immigrants' perceived impacts on the labor market have helped lead some in Congress
to push for tougher measures against illegal immigrants, Peri notes in the report.
Immigrants made up roughly a third of California's workforce in 2004, compared to 14
percent nationwide, thereport says, so that the negative effects of immigration, if
any, would be more extreme here than in the rest of the nation.
One researcher was quick to question Peri's more positive findings, saying they run
contrary to the majority of literature on the subject which shows either no wage
gains or even losses for natives.
Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based think
tank, said that by limiting his scope to California, Peri ignored the impact of
immigration in California on workers in other parts of the country.
For example, a worker in Buffalo or Pittsburgh who might have moved for light
manufacturing work in Southern California will stay put, unable to compete with
immigrants already here for that work, he said. He said many jobs taken largely by
immigrants in California employ primarily natives across the rest of the country.
And Camarota said the results ignore data showing rising unemployment and
underemployment, particularly among male, high school dropouts in areas where
immigration is on the rise.
"For 20 percent of the U.S. workforce, I think immigration is a really bad deal. For
everyone else, it doesn't have much effect one way or another," he said.
Peri said he has done national research showing similar positive results.
He said natives in many fields are simply getting better jobs than in the past.
Peri said as low-skilled immigrants take more masonry jobs, for example, they are
increasing companies' ability to do more work - and also the need for additional
administrative, sales and managerial workers to help.
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, who as the chair of the House of
Representatives' immigration subcommittee has promised she will help push through a
comprehensive immigration reform package, said she hoped her peers would be swayed by
the facts contained in this and other, similar reports.
"Congress isn't immune from having feelings be a major impact," Lofgren said, adding
she feels the immigration debate is often rooted in feelings instead of data. "But I
think the more that we can look at the facts and proceed on the basis of fact, the
more likely we can help the American economy."
But one of Congress' most ardent opponents of reform proposals that would grant legal
status to undocumented workers wasn't swayed by the report's findings.
"This report brings nothing new to the table. Amnesty proponents will likely use this
as part of their smoke and mirrors campaign," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.
"The uncontrolled flow of illegals lowers the wages of those who are the least
educated and here legally. This phenomenon converts jobs that Americans will do today
into jobs Americans can't afford to do tomorrow."
Read the report at http://www.ppic.org.
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I intend to last long enough to put out of business all *****-suckers
and other beneficiaries of the institutionalized slavery and genocide.
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"The army that will defeat terrorism doesn't wear uniforms, or drive
Humvees, or calls in air-strikes. It doesn't have a high command, or
high security, or a high budget. The army that can defeat terrorism
does battle quietly, clearing minefields and vaccinating children. It
undermines military dictatorships and military lobbyists. It subverts
sweatshops and special interests.Where people feel powerless, it
helps them organize for change, and where people are powerful, it
reminds them of their responsibility." ~~~~ Author Unknown ~~~~
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