Fear vs. Facts: Examining the Economic Impact of Undocumented Immigrants in the U.S.

David Becerra, David K. Androff, Cecilia Ayón, Jason T. Castillo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations
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Abstract

Undocumented immigration has become a contentious issue in the U.S. over the past decade. Opponents of undocumented immigration have argued that undocumented immigrants are a social and financial burden to the U.S. which has led to the passage of drastic and costly policies. This paper examined existing state and national data and found that undocumented immigrants do contribute to the economies of federal, state, and local governments through taxes and can stimulate job growth, but the cost of providing law enforcement, health care, and education impacts federal, state, and local governments differently. At the federal level, undocumented immigrants tend to contribute more money in taxes than they consume in services, however, the net economic costs or benefits to state and local governments varies throughout the U.S.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)111-135
Number of pages25
JournalJournal of Sociology and Social Welfare
Volume39
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Economy
  • Immigration
  • Latinos
  • Policy
  • Social work
  • Undocumented immigration

EGS Disciplines

  • American Politics
  • Public Policy
  • Social Work

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