Every State Would Benefit Economically From The President’s Immigration Directives
DACA, DAPA, and DACA expansion could have a huge economic impact on all Americans, according to a new state-by-state analysis from the Center for American Progress. President Obama’s immigration directives to defer the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants would grow the US economy by $230 billion over 10 years. That is, so long as it is allowed to be implemented fully.
CAP’s report analyzed the impact the three deferred action programs will have on state GDP, gains in income, and creation of jobs over 10 years in 37 different states and Washington DC. In Texas, for example, more than half of the 1.5 million undocumented immigrants in the state are eligible for the programs. The graphic below shows what that would mean in economic terms:
Speaking of Texas, it is leading a coalition of 26 states that are suing the administration to block the implementation of DACA expansion and DAPA. All 26 states involved in the lawsuit stand to gain economically if their lawsuit is unsuccessful, and Texas stands to gain the second most of any state. The reason states will see such economic gain from the implementation of DACA, DAPA, and DACA expansion is the same reason the entire country will benefit from the programs: more than half of the undocumented population have been in the country for more than 13 years, and the vast majority are already contributing to our society by working in our farms, factories, restaurants, and hotels. If the millions of people already contributing to our economy are allowed to come out of the shadows, they will enjoy wage increases and better workplace protections, which, in turn, will give them more money to put back into our economy.
As 2016 approaches, many GOP candidates are gearing up to repeat the same immigration mistakes as those who came before them. Mitt Romney’s deputy campaign manager explained yesterday how Romney’s anti-immigration rhetoric hurt him in 2012 and warned current GOP candidates not to repeat his mistake. While anti-immigrant rhetoric may play well at a primary rally, it has proven to alienate everyday Americans.
BOTTOM LINE: The entire country stands to benefit economically from President Obama’s immigration directives. Allowing millions of hardworking people to live without fear of deportation would raise their wages and give them the protections they deserve, which would in turn benefit the entire country. And as presidential primary season gets underway, the Republican candidates seem poised to repeat the same extreme positions as those who came before them.
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