The issue of immigration is the United States has stirred debates for a long time. Some people as well as a section of leaders in the region are for the opinion that immigrants bring more harm than good to the economy of the United States. Other people are also for the opinion that the immigrants are in the country to deplete their resources. Others also claim that their presence does more harm than good to the job markets. Similarly, some leaders and citizens of the United States believe and uphold the fact that the immigrants infringe on their personal and public rights. However, numerous studies state that the immigrants in the nation have significantly contributed to the economy of the US (Futchgot-Roth, 2010).
Education
Majority of immigrants move into the country to benefit from the American education because of its high standards. While in America, they pay tuition fees that are almost three times the normal fees paid by local students. The money paid for tuition goes to the government and is used in improving the living standards of the US citizens. Similarly, the number of graduating immigrant students contribute effectively to science, technology, math, and engineering (STEM) in the US (Futchgot-Roth, 2010). However, most of them return to their nation after bagging their degrees and other higher academic achievement. Those who remain in the country retain jobs that help to boost the economy of the nation by creating jobs and other vital developments in these sectors.
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Job creation
Another method that immigrants use to improve the economy of the US is creating jobs in various sectors. Research has shown that legal immigrants in the nation start businesses and own other premises such as fast food joints that have created jobs for the people in America. Similarly, some immigrants come up with social services such as institutions that care for the elderly and the sick, while other have law and accounting firms where US citizens have acquired well paying jobs (Gray & Furman, 2012). The fashion and design industry as well as the film industry is another area where immigrants have ventured in and created jobs for American citizens and other fellow immigrants. These jobs created add value to the US economy through payment of taxes.
Apart from creating jobs, immigrants also take part in doing jobs that most local citizens find demeaning. For example, most immigrant work in areas such as old people’s home, prisons, and various factories that do not provide higher pay as the local people would not have wanted to work (Gray & Furman, 2012). On the other hand, most immigrants take jobs such as keeping the security of the nation, cleaning services, as well as food delivery services. All these services create revenue to the nation and; hence, increasing the living standards of the people in the nation. (Marks, 2010).
Unique Skills
On the other hand, immigrants contribute to the economy in that they are able to create their own jobs through creative skills. For example, studies reveal that most immigrants enter into the nation and start up services that improve the living standards of the people (Marks, 2010). They start accounting and law firms and some of them even run parallel education activities that also bring money not only to them but also to the government; hence, contributing positively to the economy. By being able to create their own jobs in different fields, immigrants also act as source of employment opportunities for American citizens.
Technological developments
Studies have also shown that immigrants have impacted the US economy positively by creating cutting edge technologies that are used in various parts of the nation. For example, a study by Gray and Furman (2012) reveals that 25 percent of public companies backed by venture capital invetors belonged to immigrants. Some of these businnese include eBay, Sun, Google, and Yahoo to mention but a few. Similarly, imigrants are the greatest scientists, engineers and lawyers in the nation. They also create modern and innovative technologies that have changed the lives and economy of the nation. Similalry, immigrants have led to the growth in the ecomy by increasing the demands for goods and services in the na tion.
Conclusion
Many US citizens have received new immigrants with a lot of scone, negative attitude, and treated them like lesser people. The citizens in the states have failed to realize that an economy that relies heavily on service activities has reached its peak because of immigrants. It is time that people in US realized that the immigrants play a significant role in the success of their economy. This is because the immigrants usually receive and perform jobs that other citizens find demeaning yet important to the growth of their economy (Marks, 2010). The immigrants have participated in growing the US economy by providing services that otherwise lazy citizens would not have done. Moreover, immigrants lead to the development in the economy through increasing the amount of taxable income that the government has access to, by taking up minor jobs that citizens find demeaning.
References
Futchgot-Roth, D. (2010). How Immigrants Boost U.S. Economic Growth. The Fiscal Times.
Gray, D., & Furman, J. (2012). Ten Ways Immigrants Help Build and Strengthen Our Economy. Washington.
Marks, J. (2010). US immigrants. New York: Routledge.
