U.S. Needs More Huddled Masses

Nothing is more American than immigration.  Over 99% of the U.S. population are immigrants or descendents of immigrants.  But rather than embrace immigration as key to our nation’s strengths, many Americans see immigration as the cause of our current weaknesses.  I say that if immigration has fueled America’s prosperity for 400 years, it will fuel prosperity for future generations as well.

BUT ALLOWING MORE IMMIGRATION WILL COST AMERICANS JOBS... Nope.  A larger labor pool will likely stagnate wages for unskilled labor.  However, more jobs, especially in manufacturing, will be created as a result of the lower wages.  The number of skilled labor, management, and professional jobs will increase to provide goods and services to the new immigrants and their employers.

BUT OUR STANDARD OF LIVING WILL BE LOWER... The average may drop some, but most current Americans will see an increase in their standard of living.  Also, there will be a larger pool of workers to support our aging population.  If we could add twenty million young workers, our Social Security and Medicare programs would be in a lot better shape.

BUT THERE WILL BE MORE POVERTY... Yes.  According to our standards, there will be more people in America living in poverty.  But poverty by our standards will likely be prosperity per the standards of our new Americans.  Also, within a generation or two, immigrant families typically lift themselves into the working, middle, or even upper classes.

BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT MONEY... Allowing more immigration will also improve U.S. relations with other nations.  When people in other countries have friends or family that live here, they generally develop a favorable view of us.  My guess is that there are at least a million young Iraqi men and women who would jump at the chance to make a life for themselves in the United States.  Immigration could be used as a way to cement a positive relationship with Iraq or other countries.

BUT WHERE WILL THE IMMIGRANTS LIVE... In older run-down neighborhoods - in the undesirable locations - wherever the living is cheap.  I’m not being rude or cruel.  Historically, this is how it’s been and how it will continue to be.  Recent immigrants move into ethnic neighborhoods that aren’t pretty, but they’re as American as the suburbs.  We don’t need government to “revitalize” every neighborhood that’s seen its better days.  Those are the places where people without much money can afford to live.  Revitalization occurs without government assistance when recent immigrants move in.

BUT I STILL DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF MORE IMMIGRANTS... Many people feel uncomfortable around different languages, customs, and religions.  It’s no different today than it was thirty years ago, a hundred years ago, or a thousand years ago.  The people that live in an area want to protect their turf and keep things how they are.  That’s perfectly natural, but it’s also short-sighted and unrealistic.  Times change and the world is getting smaller.  Success comes to countries that welcome diversity.

The United States would benefit greatly from allowing a significantly larger number of  healthy, ambitious young men and women to move here.  It’s time to once again embrace the huddled masses yearning to work hard, pay taxes, and live the American Dream.