A few important facts to consider on immigration

Originally published by The Washington Post

Kathleen Parker’s Aug. 6 op-ed, Let the immigration sniping begin, omitted important facts:

• Immigrants form businesses at twice the rate of native-born Americans. On what basis should we restrict their dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit?

• Immigrants and their children are the only source of economic growth for the foreseeable future, given low productivity growth and low birthrates. On what basis should we limit future economic growth?

• With an aging workforce, immigrants will help our children avoid massive tax increases, because they will be key to maintaining a healthy dependency ratio. In this way, they will help support schools, pensions and our nation’s social insurance systems. On what basis should we ask our children to pay more or accept benefit reductions?

Economists such as Mark Zandi note that proposals to cut legal immigration represent a grave mistake.

Furthermore, Ms. Parker asked, with a certain sang-froid, Who’s going to harvest the crops? She might examine the economic hits that Alabama and Georgia took after they adopted strict immigration laws.

To be sure, skills do play a role. However, the proposal in question would admit far fewer immigrants per capita than Canada or Australia does. On what basis should we undermine our competitive position?

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-few-important-facts-to-consider-on-immigration/2017/08/10/90f2f728-7bb6-11e7-b2b1-aeba62854dfa_story.html?utm_term=.9de751f54197