Immigration is Vital to Social Programs
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Immigration is a critical component of economic and population growth in the United States, which have a direct impact on the country’s global competitiveness and ability to maintain social programs like Social Security and Medicare. By increasing immigration—and by creating a humane, orderly system for employment- and family-based immigration—the United States can invest in a strong economic future for all Americans.
Economic Growth and Immigration Go Hand-in-Hand
Continued immigration is a key factor in ensuring a stable future for the United States, including maintaining a working age population, sustaining social service programs, and a globally competitive economy. Doubling immigration to more than 2 million migrants per year could result in trillions of dollars of growth by 2050 and increased incomes for all Americans.
With restrictive immigration policies, the U.S. economy would stagnate. Not only would the U.S. lose an important opportunity for growth, but the country would also be likely to fall behind in crucial industries. Agriculture, construction, health care, and technology could see significant staffing gaps and production delays as a result of restrictive immigration policies.
Without Immigration, Social Safety Nets are at Risk
In recent decades, population growth has slowed significantly in the United States, resulting in fewer working-age individuals in the labor force and an aging population with 1-in-6 of people being 65 years of age and older. An increase in immigration would stabilize the working age population, despite these trends of decreasing birth rates and an older population.
Without increased immigration, crucial social safety nets—like Social Security—could collapse within 10 years. However, immigrants “help address workforce challenges and are a net positive to the financial health of the Social Security and Medicare systems.” By building families, joining the workforce, and paying taxes in the United States, immigrants make significant contributions to these vital social services.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients (DACAistas) demonstrate the enormous contributions of immigrant communities in the United States. Since the program was established 12 years ago, DACAistas have earned $27.9 billion in income and added almost $2.1 billion to Social Security and Medicare each year.
Immigration Reform is Needed to Move Forward
The U.S. immigration system is flawed, outdated, and often inhumane, going decades without meaningful legislative policy changes. Immigration processes are overwhelming, can take years to navigate, and provide little transparency to the people going through it. At its worst, U.S. immigration is cruel and chaotic, resulting in separated families and widespread fear.
The existing system benefits no one, and it needs reform. A compassionate, orderly system that centers the experiences of immigrants and creates family- and employment-based immigration pathways would do enormous good both for immigrants and American communities. Research shows that increasing immigration creates jobs, raises wages, and improves the lives of native-born Americans.
Take action today by supporting ICS’s legal services that provide immigrants with work authorization, support their journeys toward citizenship, and support their local communities.