## The Importance of Immigration in Economic Growth
Ah, my dear reader, let’s dive into the rather pertinent topic of immigration and its undeniable influence on economic growth. If you happen to be someone who shares your professional expertise with neighbours or friends, perhaps it is time we apply this spirit to the matter of immigration as well.
## Misguided Blame on Immigration
Of late, political figures have been unjustly blaming immigration for a multitude of societal issues. These range from crime and housing shortages to labour concerns and beyond. Individuals who have the privilege of working alongside immigrants, employing them, and depending on them for their enterprises’ success ought to set the record straight.
## Setting the Record Straight
Should you find yourself in said position, allow me to offer some talking points:
– **Labour Shortages**: The United States, presently, is not devoid of jobs; quite the contrary. The Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act signed in 2022 offer incentives for new manufacturing jobs. As of July, the U.S. faces a distinctive shortage, with about 8 million open positions compared to 6.8 million unemployed individuals ([U.S. Chamber of Commerce](https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage)).
– **Job Creators, Not Takers**: Immigrants enhance the economy more than they diminish it. Notable studies, like one from the National Bureau of Economic Research, reveal that immigrants create more jobs due to their higher rate of entrepreneurship. Serendipitously, immigrants such as Sergey Brin of Google and Andrew Grove of Intel demonstrate the pivotal roles they play.
– **Doing the Jobs Others Shun**: Many U.S. citizens shy away from low-paying, physically demanding jobs prevalent in sectors like agriculture and food processing. Thanks to immigrants, these essential roles are filled, ensuring the economy remains balanced and inflation does not spike ([PBS report](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/how-migrant-workers-have-contributed-to-strong-u-s-job-growth)).
## The Role of Skilled Immigrants
An often-overlooked fact is the contribution of highly skilled immigrants. Between 1990 and 2015, immigrants accounted for a whopping 23% of innovation output in U.S. patents ([NBER study](https://www.nber.org/papers/w30797)). Skilled immigrants undeniably enhance productivity and stimulate innovation.
## Debunking Crime Myths
One must not ignore the myth regarding immigrant-related crimes. Studies consistently demonstrate that immigrants are less prone to crime than their native-born counterparts. For a dash of perspective, today immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated. Importantly, the recent immigration surge hasn’t correlated with increased crime rates in cities like New York ([NBER study](https://www.nber.org/papers/w31440)).
## Economic Growth through Increased Labour
The notion of a fixed number of jobs is as mythical as mermaids. Every working individual contributes to national prosperity, regardless of birthplace. An increase in immigration from 2021 to 2026 is foreseen to deliver a net reduction in federal deficits by $900 billion, along with an increase in GDP by $9 trillion ([Congressional Budget Office](https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60165)).
## Historical Lessons
We’ve lessons from past immigration policies like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to heed. Such actions not only reduced immigrant populations but also detrimented U.S.-born workers’ job quality. It led to a dramatic 62% decline in manufacturing output in affected states for 50 years ([Related Study](https://www.nber.org/papers/w33019?utm_campaign=ntwh&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ntwg3)).
In moments of logical contemplation, it becomes clear that expelling immigrants would only serve to shrink the U.S. economy. My dear readers, I do hope this discussion encourages you to voice the indispensable contributions of immigrants to business growth and national prosperity.
*Christopher Tang, a distinguished professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, writes from experience as someone who immigrated to the U.S. in 1981.*
