In Chapter 9 of We Wanted Workers by George J. Borjas, he highlights how immigrants can be viewed from varying perspectives. Many people see them as people who affect our economy and workforce, which is not incorrect, but they disregard that immigrants are human beings. Borjas emphasizes how if this were true, that immigrants are only workers and not people, we would not need to worry about them outside of the workforce, but we do. They are not just robotic workers without needs. They must be recognized for more than just their fiscal impact. Borjas presents data that reveals that the wall built around the welfare state does not prevent many immigrants from entering, rather it highlights how immigrants who are likely to become a charge are already not admissible. In addition to this, the statutes that make up the wall also already specify that immigrants who become a public charge within the first five years of entry may be deported. Borja finds that it is necessary to view the long-term effect of the decision of whether or not to admit an immigrant, such as the number of dependents they plan to have and whether or not the government will have to fund these dependents as well. Additionally, immigrants use welfare more often than natives as the immigrant population is disproportionately low-skill and those that use welfare typically do poorly in the labor market. 46% of immigrant households use welfare to support themselves. This prompts the question as to whether or not immigrants pay their way in welfare and do their taxes make up for the expenditures they cause. It is difficult to accurately calculate and therefore we have no idea of the long term effect. It presents both positive and negative effects on the population as it presents different implications nationally, and according to Borjas, it may be viewed as just another government redistribution program.
4 replies on “ERA: Chapter 9 of We Wanted Workers”
I agree with your description of Borjas’s view on the importance of recognizing immigrants as not just “robotic workers without needs” but as human beings with the same rights as us. They do have a strong and direct impact on our economy and workforce, but that does not mean that is all we can account them for. Your use of direct evidence and statistics makes this a very well written ERA.
I find it necessary to not just view immigrants as people to put in our workforce or to fill jobs. It is necessary to view them as real people with real needs. We often must recognize this both when they are here and provide them with what they need, but also recognize that we will have to do this before we allow them to immigrate and use United States resources and recognize how this will affect current United States citizens that may be suffering as well.
It is very important to understand the point made by Borjas that immigrants are not just workers but they will also have lives outside of work including children, bills, etc. The usual low income jobs of new immigrants most likely will not be able to pay for these expenses causing immigrants to use the welfare system. This often becomes unfair to natives that are in need of this system because they contributed to it and should have more access to it. If immigrants are taking the majority of its benefits America would be essentially be turning its back on a large part of its lower class population.
This is very important to point out that there are many different aspects of immigration that get brushed away from the headlines of the news. Immigrants help the economy and are in a sense the foundation of the American work force by allowing employers to keep their businesses working efficiently.