United Liberty
On Arizona’s new immigration law (it’s a mistake)
Tue, 04/27/2010 - 9:18am | posted by Jason Pye
Jeffrey Miron, an economist at Harvard and fellow at the Cato Institute, offers his thoughts on Arizona’s new immigration law:
This law is incredibly misguided. Enforcement will be selective, inflaming ethnic and racial tensions. Police resources are better utilized pursuing crimes like homicide, rape, and theft. And the measure’s impact on immigration will be modest in any case.
The only way to reduce illegal immigration is to expand legal immigration; punitive, “supply side” measures will not work so long as the wage gap between Mexico and the U.S. persists.
I tend to agree. I don’t buy into much of the rhetoric surrounding illegal immigration. Typically, immigrants contribute much more to our economy than the anti-immigration crowd wants to admit.
A 2006 study from the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina shows that hispanics, both legal and illegal, have a significant impact on that state’s economy:
North Carolina’s rapidly growing Hispanic population contributes more than $9 billion to the state’s economy through its purchases, taxes and labor, while costing the state budget a net $102 per Hispanic resident in health care, education and correctional services, according to a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
While I’m not an advocate of the welfare state and believe that it needs to be reformed before we handle immigration, the net cost to taxpayers in North Carolina was $61 million, however, once you take into account the $9 billion contribution and $1 billion in saved wages as a result of these immigrants, it’s not hard to see that it was a net benefit for the state. I suspect that each state has seen similar positive impact as a result of both legal and illegal immigrants.
Also, the idea that the state can stop you and ask for your papers reminds me of something we’d see from a totalitarian state.
Illegal - describes something that is prohibited by or not authorized by law.
Criminal - breaches the law
Illegal Immigrants - are criminals by law. Regardless of their country of origin. Most do not respect our country or Flag.
Come here legally and respect or laws, country and Flag. As a bonus, take the time to learn English.
When we as Americans travel abroad, we have to, at all times, carry our passports as proof of who we are and how we entered the country.
Here at home, we have to carry identification showing who we are.
So what is the real problem…I know, it is getting caught doing something illegal!
Regarding y0ur article on Arizona’s New “Immigration” Law; Why do your liberal writers keep refering to the illegal alien issue as an “immigration” issue. I can’t wait to catch any future articles on the “Mexican Open Market Pharmaceutical Association” instead of the M-13 Illegal narcotics drug cartel”. Where did you find the authors for your articles, Berkeley?
We’re not liberals. We are libertarians.
There are underlying problems that Arizona is trying to address. First of all, Arizona’s crime rate has risen exponentially over the last decade. The drug wars in Mexico are spreading into the United States, especially Arizona, at a dramatic rate. If you lived in Phoenix, the #2 city in the world in kidnapping, you would probably feel differently. Second, there is already a federal law that states everything that the new Arizona law states. The only difference is that the Arizona law requires actual enforcement. Have you ever heard of a green card? Police can stop anyone anywhere that they suspect of being in the country illegally and ask to see their green card. Is that wrong? Maybe. Do I agree with the law? Not really, but if police wanted to discriminate, they could before the law was created. If they wanted to make up a reason to check to see if someone was in this country illegally, they could easily do that. Think about all of the laws you break every single day. If a cop wanted to stop you and check your identity(to see if you have any priors), they could easily and lawfully do that. Do I agree with that? Definitely not. I am more libertarian in my ideals than I was 2 years ago(Obama has caused this), but Arizona has a serious problem that is not being addressed and they decided to force action by the federal government. If you are really libertarian, then I know you would agree with this - End the welfare program and all other entitlement programs, and the federal government would have more than enough money to close the border. Maybe even start a trade program with Mexico - We send someone who doesn’t have a job and has lived off of welfare for the last 5 years to Mexico in exchange for someone who actually likes the idea of the “American Dream” and will work for it.
Oh and I believe that UNC’s statistics are off by about $9 billion. Illegal immigrants don’t pay income tax and they buy consumer products very sparingly so they don’t pay much in sales tax, and also because of that, they don’t help the overall economy much at all.