Study: Legalizing undocumented adult Latinos would be boon to state's economy

California could reap an economic boon worth $16 billion by legalizing its 1.8 million undocumented adult Latino immigrants, according to a USC study released today.

The economic benefits would come as newly legalized immigrants earned higher wages, spent more consumer dollars, paid more taxes and helped create jobs, according to the study by the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration.

“People keep using our economic condition as an excuse to not do comprehensive immigration reform,” said Manuel Pastor, one of the study’s authors. “It’s just the opposite: What we need to do to right our economy and move forward is create a path to legalization.”

But Steven Camarota of the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies said that legalization would also cost taxpayers. He said the majority of illegal immigrants already pay taxes, but legalization would make them eligible for scores of public services, including welfare, unemployment insurance and non-emergency healthcare.

“Whatever the drain is now, it just gets bigger with legalization,” he said.

The USC study did not examine the added costs in services to the state.

The study was released at a kickoff rally in Los Angeles to renew lobbying efforts for legalization, more worker and family visas and other elements of comprehensive immigration reform. Amid balloons, posters and lively cheers, several labor, religious and immigrant rights leaders spoke in favor of reform.

Angelica Salas of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles said activists plan to hold town halls, identify and register pro-reform voters, and visit all 53 congressional representatives and two senators in the next few months.

The California effort is part of a 50-state campaign to amass enough congressional votes for reform legislation by May 1.

--Teresa Watanabe

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Comments

[Adrian M]

This is also the state of California which once belonged to MEXICO, that' s why so many Latinos live and fight for our rights here. Did Mexicans have a say when the U.S. took over those Mexican states? No!
Immigration reform is desperately needed. Some immigrants slave over two jobs, PAY taxes, abide by the law, and yet still get screwed and told to leave. Or how about those who pay all their taxes and when something disables them, then their employer or the state decides to say that they are not entitled to the services they have been paying for. Most abide by more laws than certain citizens who love to exploit them and use them as a loophole for their tax evasion.
Nevertheless, I get off on a tangent here. Yes, this study has its faults just because it did not add the cost of social services. People are just spending endless amounts of money trying to argue this but these immigrants will inevitably still live in the United States. The U.S. melting pot was founded by exactly that: immigrants from all around the world.

[Texas Tea]

What I find so interesting about everyone commenting here is that, Pres. Obama and Congress will do absolutely nothing on Immigration Reform. It's just to much of a political minefield. They will pander to supporters of reform and say they will do something, however, we all know that nothing will be accomplished. I think reforms supporters blew it a few years. They coordinated a May day march across this country a few years ago, with people marching in the streets waiving flags of their home county. Not American flags. They even went so far as changing the words to the national anthem to support their cause. It backfired on so many fronts. American got a glimpse of the smug, arrogant, demanding display and were turned off. Reform will never happen no matter what supporters do. Never happen.

[Imnoju]

When will those that are against a legal solution to the "Illegal Immigration" issue through Immigration Reform understand that there is no better solution available? The deportation of millions of workers and consumers is not fiscally possible and would be a waste of valuable resources and fortunately no doable. To deprive the economy of their contributions through both their labor and consumption would shrink the economy. Shrinking the economy will not result in more jobs but rather in higher Unemployment, less growth, and would undermine Social Security to name a few consequences. It's in the best interest of all concerned to legislate Immigration Reform with Amnesty as step number one.

[Joseph]

It is shocking to read all this comments from people that are ignorant and have no idea how an immigration reform will benefit the U.S. First of all immigrants come from different countries not just Mexico, they come from Europe, and Asia as well. American people do not understand that this country is made up of immigrants, the first settlers were immigrants, all of our ancestors were immigrants. People do not want immigrants leaving on this country but in reality we all have immigrant decendent. So I suggest that we learned our facts first before we make a false allegation.

[Jose Guerrero]

This study proves that if the U.S. were to legalize "undocumented adult Latino immigrants" al across the country it would help the nation's economy. It is true that it will add to taxpayers, but in time the economic condition of this nation will get better and stabilixe itself once again. the U.S. should open their eyes and realize this fact.