The Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (LINK)

A new study from the Center for American Progress quantifies the benefits to the U.S. economy of Comprehensive Immigration Reform and shows how it can actually help in raising wages for all American workers and in jump-starting the economy even in a recession.  Using hard data to create an econometric model, it estimates the economic ramifications of three different scenarios -- including mass deportation of all undocumented immigrants.


The study finds that mass deportation is the worst scenario for the U. S. economy, reducing U.S. Gross Domestic Product by $2.6 trillion over 10 years not including the substantial actual cost of deportation of 12 million people. Wages would rise for less-skilled native-born workers, but would diminish for higher-skilled native-born workers.  This scenario would also lead to widespread job loss.



By contrast, implementing Comprehensive Immigration Reform generates an increase in U.S. GDP of at least at least $1.5 trillion summed over 10 years.  It also boosts wages for both native-born and newly legalized
immigrant workers.