The Long-Term Economic Benefits and Dynamic Impact of Migrants

BY AMERICA’S VOICE

Washington, DC: A new article in The New York Times, “As Politicians Cry ‘Crisis,’ Some Migrants Are Finding Their Way,” offers an important reminder that the short term stresses and budget impacts from migrants on New York City that get a great deal of media and political attention only tell part of the story. Whatever the short-run costs and adjustments, economists continue to observe that they are more than made up for by their long-term positive economic and social impact on the city and country. Meanwhile, the story in the Times portrays the real stories and potential successes of the individuals behind the headlines, who are too often dehumanized or aggregated into faceless and nameless statistics.

According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice: “We all know New York isn’t New York without immigrants and the current cohort of migrants are no different. Immigrants are an asset, essential and, as always, are keeping the economy dynam- ic and growing in New York City and throughout the U.S. The short term stresses of cities and states gets a lot of attention and opponents of immigration want that to be the focus. But the bigger picture is that for New York and countless other cities, each migrant has a story and a unique contribution to the overall fabric of the city and its economy. Policies aimed exclusively at preventing migration or pushing migrants into a black mar- ket of smuggling and living underground are not serving the country well. It is in our self-interest to find the balance of a controlled system of migration, a recommitment to integrating and incorporating immigrants fully into our communities, and tapping the economic potential that powers American society today and throughout our history.”

Here are excerpts from The New York Times article,“As Politicians Cry ‘Crisis,’

Some

Migrants Are Finding Their Way,” below:

“Mayor Eric Adams begged for federal help, disparaged President Biden and warned that the city was being ‘destroyed.’

But unseen and unheard were economists and social scientists, who point out that the immediate controversy has overshadowed an established truth: The city was built by waves of migrants who settled in, paid taxes, buttressed a labor force, started businesses and generally lifted the communities they joined. This latest group will do the same, they argued.

Without immigrants, New York City would be shrinking. Even if New York never recovers what it spends now, the economists and historians say, the migrants will eventually be good for the city.

…‘Yes, for a little while, maybe some of them need a little assistance,’ said Giovanni Peri, an economist at the University of California, Davis. ‘But if you take a deep breath, you see that continued on page 14