Will Immigration Amnesty help the National Economy?

While granting amnesty to illegal immigration is dubious and unlawful, there are many potential benefits to the national economy and economic growth.

(1) Taxes - These 12 million workers are unaccounted for and our government needs these workers to pay taxes that will pay for health care, education, etc. If they are here already and working, they are also using hospitals and public schools, so its necessary to account for each one.

(2) Housing market and Economic growth - while unskilled and blue-collar workers will suffer from immigration amnesty, Population growth can help certain areas of the economy such as the housing market which is suffering because there are not enough buyers, and home prices are still relatively high.

I think this comes down to the MONEY, and immigration amnesty is about accounting for illegal workers, and keeping the economy going.

While I think the economy will slow-down with or without immigration amnesty - I think that is the ultimate goal of the govt.

I remember when Rudy was worried about a crack down on Irish nurses in NYC hospitals. If the illegal workers were pulled, NYC hospitals would have to close. Also illegals don't get 30 mortgages, usually move around alot and are at the mercy of landlords. I don't believe this pattern will change much if they are given amnesty, because the process is a long term run to get citizenship and will they even take advantage of it. The next generation will benefit more.

is a very real and serious predicament facing the govt. Immigration opponents want all illegals deported, but you can't do that without creating a police state where everyone and every minority needs to show papers/passports to every cop out there; without cause. I do think that cops need to enforce immigration if they arrest an illegal immigrant.

But the Govt has a very real problem of keeping track of everyone. In order to do this, we need to have records of everyone who is living and working in this country.

I do believe that there will be an macro-economic effect for legalizing immigrants and encouraging illegals and their families to stay here long-term and purchase houses. We had open immigration before the 1900's and its really 'un-American' to prevent people from coming to the US and earning a living.