MYTH: Immigrants Are a Drain on the U.S. Economy!

FACT: The immigrant community is not a drain on the U.S. economy but, in fact, proves to be a net benefit. Research reported by both the CATO Institute and the President’s Council of Economic Advisors reveals that the average immigrant pays a net 80,000 dollars more in taxes than they collect in government services. For immigrants with college degrees the net fiscal return is $198,000.

FACT: The American Farm Bureau asserts that without guest workers the U.S. economy would lose as much as $9 billion a year in agricultural production and 20 percent of current production would go overseas.

More mythbusting facts on this issue can be found in the National Conference of State Legislatures Summary of State Studies on Fiscal Impact of Immigrants.

AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 09032667 (posted Mar. 26, 2009)