USC shovels ideological wampum

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Posted by Mike Scott on January 13, 2010 at 10:40:51

Glendora, CA 91741
January 13, 2010

Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII)
University of Southern California –
USC3620 S. Vermont Avenue, KAP 462
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0255

Dear Scholars:

I just read your “The Economic Benefits of (ILLEGAL)Immigrant Authorization in California”, and found it astonishing that such a document emanated from a renowned university.

According to the Department of Labor, nearly 16 million American workers are looking for jobs. Our jobless rate is 10% nationally, and 12.7% here in California. According to CNN, the 16 to 24 working age group, - - all people in that age group available for full time work have a 19 percent unemployment rate, nearly double the national average. For young African-Americans, 29 percent unemployment, and for young Latinos unemployment is at 21 percent. Many of these figures apply to unskilled & less-educated Americans who are forced to compete with illegals for the same jobs. It’s unconscionable that 5.4% (Pew Hispanic Center) of our work force is comprised of 8.3 million illegal immigrants, jobs that should be taken by millions of less-educated, low-skilled Americans. No American should be jobless while millions of illegals remain employed.

If we grant amnesty again, as we did in 1986, we will have the same result -- a continuing flood of illegal entrants who know that hiding out long enough is always rewarded. The definition of governmental duplicity is doing the same thing over and over and telling the electorate there will be a different result.

Amnesty & eventual citizenship for low-skilled illegal immigrants will significantly increase welfare costs and poverty, while continuing to exacerbate the unemployment miseries of our very vulnerable unskilled American citizens. Our jobless rate won’t drop below 9% by the middle of 2011. Illegal immigrants with low educational levels are likely to be a huge fiscal drain on other taxpayers. Half of all adult illegal immigrants in the U.S. have less than a high school education. Once these individuals become citizens, the net additional costs to the federal government of benefits for these individuals will be mega $ billions annually. *

Econ 101 teaches that when immigration increases the supply of workers in a skill category, the earnings of native-born workers in that same category fall. The negative effect will occur regardless of whether the immigrant workers are legal or illegal, temporary or permanent.

Econ 102 teaches that the lynch-pin of our 21st economy is an educated and skilled workforce. Increases in productivity will allow American companies to do more work with fewer employees, but pay more without spurring inflation. Tomorrow’s recovering American economy will be fueled by investments in computers, information technology, telecommunications, e-commerce, bioscience, robotics, mechanized factories, and other technologies that require a labor force comprised of highly educated people with marketable skills. Bluntly speaking, we need far less crop harvesters, gardeners, dry wallers, busboys, hospitality workers, ect., and more scientists, entrepreneurs and similarly skilled individuals. What’s more important for our 21st-Century nation, - millions of uneducated & unskilled foreigners for which there’s no need, or mega thousands of highly skilled & educated foreigners for which there may be a need?

Again, “The Economic Benefits of (ILLEGAL) Immigrant Authorization in California”, is beyond all rational comprehension.

Sincerely,


Michael Scott

* According to a variety of sources, illegal immigration’s net cost to Californians is $8.9 billion annually. That’s one-third of the State’s current $26.3 billion budget deficit. Try as you may, this can’t be covered-up. Facts are stubborn things.



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