Tapsearch Com EditorImmigration and skill
March 27th 2007 22:28
One frustrating aspect to the immigration debate is that, whatever the law on low-wage laborers, most of them come illegally anyway. By contrast, skilled workers follow the law -- which is designed to keep American wages high and might be tightened.
The odd thing is that low-wage labor pushes native workers into poverty, albeit while lowering prices and helping people from other countries make a living. Skilled labor also lowers wages, of course, but among people who can better afford to work for less. And the net payoffs to Americans are greater with skilled/smart immigrants, who innovate as opposed to just labor.
Essentially, lawmakers are protecting jobs for the rich and letting the poor go, not so much through law as through selective enforcement. In the process, we're shutting out the best immigrants while letting the most controversial ones do as they please.
By Robert VerBruggen
The odd thing is that low-wage labor pushes native workers into poverty, albeit while lowering prices and helping people from other countries make a living. Skilled labor also lowers wages, of course, but among people who can better afford to work for less. And the net payoffs to Americans are greater with skilled/smart immigrants, who innovate as opposed to just labor.
Essentially, lawmakers are protecting jobs for the rich and letting the poor go, not so much through law as through selective enforcement. In the process, we're shutting out the best immigrants while letting the most controversial ones do as they please.
By Robert VerBruggen
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