Topline
Dozens of economists wrote to the Biden administration this week to push for the inclusion of a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in future rescue legislation, citing the boost to wages, jobs and productivity, as well as tax revenue and worker protections that the path would create.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks as he meets with Senators from both parties on the critical need to … [+]
Key Facts
The group of more than 60 signatories includes former Obama economic advisor Jason Furman, Eileen Appelbaum of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, and David Kallick of the Fiscal Policy Institute.
They argue that providing undocumented immigrants with protections and a path to citizenship will boost the country’s economic recovery, especially given the large portion of undocumented individuals who have held jobs as essential workers during the pandemic.
In the short run, the economists say a path to legal status will help undocumented workers secure better paying jobs more suited to their skills sets.
In the long run, they say that path will create more opportunities for education and professional training, which will boost wages for all Americans and help lift families out of poverty.
Bloomberg noted Friday that the push from economists on immigration is evidence of the mounting pressure Biden is facing to include sweeping reform measures in his “Build Back Better” plan, which is the infrastructure and spending bill that is expected to follow his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.
Crucial Quote
“Offering [undocumented immigrants] the chance to earn citizenship will help to ensure that the economic recovery reaches all corners of society, including those that have disproportionately been on the frontlines of the pandemic and yet left out of prior relief bills, and establishes a more stable and equitable foundation on which future economic success can be built,” the economists wrote in a Thursday letter to the White House obtained by Bloomberg News.
Big Number
5 million. That’s how many undocumented immigrants are working in essential occupations, according to a December report from the Center for American Progress—that’s almost 75% of all undocumented immigrants in the workforce.
Key Background
One of Biden’s major priorities is the rollback of many of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. On his first day in office, Biden proposed an immigration bill that included an 8-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the United States. He also signed executive orders that strengthened the Deferred Action for Children Arrivals program and revoked a Trump administration plan to exclude non-citizens from the Census count. The Biden administration announced Friday that it will begin allowing some 25,000 asylum seekers in Mexico to cross the border to await hearings before a judge in the United States, but it has also said that the “vast majority” of asylum seekers at the border will be turned away, USA Today reported.
Further Reading
‘It would be very difficult’: Dems prepare for heartburn over Biden immigration plan (Politico)
Biden Pledged To Sign Executive Order About Separated Migrant Children On Day One. He Still Hasn’t. (Forbes)
Biden Team Unveils New Asylum System To Replace Trump’s ‘Remain In Mexico’ (NPR)
Biden administration to allow in around 25,000 asylum seekers now waiting in Mexico (USA Today)
