Immigrant Labor Found To Have A Negative Effect On The Economy

The Washington Times reports that a study by two Columbia University professors and the Center for Immigration Studies finds that the net effect of immigration to the United States is a drain on U.S. native workers of about $70 billion per year:

The authors argue that the United States has a strong technological advantage over other nations and immigrants who come to this country to work have access to that technology, making them more competitive with native workers than they otherwise would be. In addition, the fact that immigrants are not living overseas and consuming American workers' products also hurts U.S. exports.

Together, those factors created a $68 billion net loss to native workers in 2002, according to Donald R. Davis and David E. Weinstein, both economics professors at Columbia University.

This finding is counter to the common wisdom that there is positive economic benefit from immigration.

Comments

[Effeminem]

I agree with KipEsquire, although I think that we should protect the best interests of our citizens. Allowing guest workers probably benefits us, imho.

[KipEsquire]

In addition, the fact that immigrants are not living overseas and consuming American workers' products also hurts U.S. exports.

Does it really matter whether they buy American products abroad as "exports" or here as "consumption"?

Also, I take great exception to your headline -- the study says net loss to "native workers," not "the economy." Remember, these immigrants are now part of "the economy" too, so a transfer from native workers to immigrant workers is, at worst, a zero-sum game as far as "the economy" is concerned. (It is, of course, quite a positive sum game.)