During the Christmas season you may have seen banners that proclaimed: “Rejoice in the birth of a brown-skinned,middle-eastern, undocumented immigrant.” We are reminded that Jesus himself was a refugee for a time. The Gospel of Matthew records that Mary and Joseph were told to take their baby and escape to Egypt because of King Herod’s plan to kill the infants in Bethlehem.
America is a nation of immigrants. Most of our families came from somewhere else to America in search of opportunity and a better life. Now more than ever our nation needs immigrants and refugees to ensure a strong and vibrant future. The hurtful and hateful rhetoric about how immigrants are dangerous and are poisoning our country is part of a right wing conspiracy to convince us that they are the enemy among us that has to be dealt with and expelled. They claim immigrants are threatening our white privilege, our way of life, our future as a country.[i] But the truth is just the opposite. These newcomers are not only enriching our lives with their presence, they are providing us with the hope and promise of a better future. Let’s look at several factors.
First, it’s important to note that the native born birth rate has plateaued. We are not even replacing ourselves, and we are an aging population. More and more, we need foreign-born workers. Projections indicate that, in the long term, immigration will be a bigger contributor to the demographic growth and stability of the nation than in the past. Our population peaked in 2024 at 333.4 million and will only decline from here. Consider the impact this could have on the economy now that we are producing fewer able-bodied workers. Consider the strain that a growth in the need for elder care over the next couple of decades will put on the entire
system. Brookings researcher William Frey suggests that current and future national population growth will depend on continued healthy levels of international migration.[ii]
Second, we must not dismiss the importance of immigration to the economic health and future of our nation. The National Chamber of Commerce indicates that the economic well-being of the U.S. depends on bringing more workers into this country. The inflow of foreign-born workers dropped significantly around 2020 for two reasons. One was the pandemic which closed down immigration services for months. The other was the limit placed by Trump administration on the number of individuals allowed to immigrate. This was a double-whammy to our economy as the country began to return to normal in late 2021. The number of vacant jobs surged to a historic high of 12 million and a lack of migrant workers compounded the shortage, especially in construction, agriculture, health care, and service industries. Fortunately, the increase in the number of immigrants entering the U.S. workforce since 2023 made a positive difference on the U.S. economy. Even the Wall Street Journal reported: “The U.S. economy’s prospect of a soft landing are getting a boost from an unexpected source: a historic rise in immigration. The inflow of foreign-born workers, which hadslowed to a trickle is now rising briskly as the U.S. catches up on a backlog of visa applications and the Biden administration accelerates work permits.”[iii]
Third, immigration has not only been important in responding to the job growth in this country but it is also an economic driver. According to the Congressional Budget Office, over the next decade, immigration will generate a $7 trillion boost to American’s gross national product Migrant families—documented and undocumented—contribute to government coffers in large amounts. Undocumented households alone paid $46.8 billion in federal taxes and $29.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2022. At the same time they contributed $22.6 billion to Social Security and $5.7 billion of Medicare, government programs they help sustain but from which they draw no benefits.[iv]
Finally, we have President-elect Trump and his team promising to round up millions of undocumented immigrants and put them in detention camps while awaiting deportation. What they fail to mention is that such an action would be devastating to our economy. The financial impacts of deporting between 11 and 14 million people would cost us $315 billion in the short run and subtract 4% from the U.S. gross economy. The loss of these workers would cripple agriculture, construction, health care, and the service industries. [v]
We have always been a nation of immigrants, people who have come to our shores hoping for a better life, bringing their differing cultures, beliefs, and gifts that make America what it is: a rich tapestry of diversity. And because of that we are still a nation of promise and possibilities.
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[i] According to the 2024 PRRI American Values Survey “One-third of Americans (34%) say that immigrants entering the countryillegally today are poisoning the blood of our country, while 63% of Americans disagree.”
[ii] William H. Frey, “New censusprojections show immigration is essential to the growth and vitality of a more
diverse US population. Brookings Research, Nov. 29, 2023. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/new-census-projections-show-immigration-is-essential-to-the-growth-and-vitality-of-a-more-diverse-us-population/
[iii] Amara Omeokwe and Michelle Hackman,“Rebound in Immigration Comes to Economy’s Aid,” The Wall Street Journal,September 22, 2023.