The Positive Effects of Immigration in the US Today

Immigration in the US continues to be a trending topic. The pros, cons, and controversies that arise from certain policies as well as the treatment of immigrants have all been the focus of many discussions. For as long as the US has ever physically existed, immigration has been around. It’s not uncommon to hear the term ‘the USA was built by immigrants.’

Why do people migrate from their motherlands to come to the USA?

Across the globe, many people have been attracted to the “American Dream”. The depiction of the USA as a free country where one can settle and achieve much success and wealth. The US does have its freedoms compared to many countries with poor governance, archaic laws, war, and famine. People essentially want to have a better quality of life, and time has proven that living and working in the US can lead to better standards of living.

The Benefits of Immigration

The majority of the news headlines seek to cover stories about illegal immigration. However, many migrants are granted work permits, green cards, and eventually citizenship using the legal and formal routes. Their presence has actually been very beneficial to the country. Some of these positive outcomes include:

Many legal immigrants are highly skilled professionals – Many skilled immigrants have integrated into American society. They fulfill roles in healthcare, science, business, education, and more. This means that they add to the skilled labor force of the country in general. They help to boost professionalism and innovation across many fields.

Immigrants broaden the workforce – Immigrants fill the gaps in labor shortages. They also create more demand for jobs and higher wages. Which in turn leads to industry growth and expansion. This is also a plus for the economy.

The ‘Dreamers’ – The Dreamers are the generations of children born on American soil to illegal immigrant parents or brought into the country from very young ages. They attend school, are proficient in English and are just as valuable to the future economy than non-immigrant children. Their whole lives are integrated into the American system of education and society. These children pursue higher education and eventually attain professional certificates in many fields to work and contribute to the economy.

Immigrants add to the culture, food, and arts sector – Diverse cultures are brought to American shores. They have a positive impact on culture, food, and art in society. Cultural events, food businesses, music, and entertainment add to the communities in which they are present.

Immigrants pay more taxes – Immigrants are not eligible for free social programs, government funding, and other grants. Therefore, they are not exempted from certain taxes or are taxed more heavily because they are not native-born.

Immigrants contribute to domestic development – Immigrants are more likely to move around to different locations to take up job opportunities or business ventures. This means that they branch out into different states and actively contribute to the domestic economy of each one they live in.

They are less likely to commit crimes – Legal immigrants are less likely to commit crimes or be involved in illegal activities. Since they are aiming to qualify for permanent residency status, they are more likely to conform to rules to keep a clean record. They also stand to lose more by engaging in illicit activities that could lead to imprisonment or deportation.

In conclusion, immigration has a positive net effect on areas such as economy, industry, and social culture. They add to the labor force rather than take jobs away from native-born Americans. Illegal immigrants fill in the gaps, taking jobs that native-born Americans refuse. The children of illegals who are born on American soil have a better chance of legally integrating into American society and therefore contributing to growth and development.

Professionally qualified immigrants in top-notch fields such as medicine, research, technology, and finance make an especially large impact in their respective niches. Overall, immigration reflects positively on America. While there are some cons associated with illegals, attracting more skilled immigrants through incentive programs or making it easier for immigrants to obtain work permits and resident status can help to grow and develop the economy positively on a larger scale.

By Kasule Joel — Seattle