Home Categories About
argument top image
Should countries accept immigrants? Should countries accept immigrants?
Yes, countries should accept immigrants Yes, countries should accept immigrants
No, countries should not accept immigrants No, countries should not accept immigrants
Immigrants positively affect the economy Immigrants positively affect the economy
People have the right to live wherever they want People have the right to live wherever they want
A liberal state must allow freedom of movement A liberal state must allow freedom of movement
Countries with colonial pasts cannot turn immigrants away Countries with colonial pasts cannot turn immigrants away
Accepting refugees is beneficial Accepting refugees is beneficial
Immigrants put an unnecessary strain on public services Immigrants put an unnecessary strain on public services
Immigrants erode local culture and traditions Immigrants erode local culture and traditions
Immigrants increase competition for work Immigrants increase competition for work
Debate Mini Map

Should countries accept immigrants?
Back to question

Yes, countries should accept immigrants

(1 of 2) Next position >

Immigrants positively affect the economy

The continual influx of immigrants positively affects three crucial elements of the economy: the labor market, economic growth, and public finance.
Daniel Griswold
(1 of 5) Next argument >

The Argument

Immigrants come to the US because they want more freedom and opportunities; so they can work hard and make a good life for themselves and their families. Immigrants usually bring special skills and invaluable talents to their country of destination. They boost the economy by increasing the overall efficiency and production.[1] They often spark the expansion of critical sectors of the economy, which draws investment and opens up new job opportunities for everyone.[1] In a recent study, the International Monetary Fund states, “Immigration significantly increases GDP per capita in advanced economies.”[1] The White House Council of Economic Advisors conducted a study in 2007 which found that immigrants increased American GDP by $37 billion a year.[2] Immigrants tend to be highly innovative. Their entrepreneurial mindsets push them to take risks and start new businesses from high-tech startups or corner shops. In 2016, half of the startups that reached over $1 billion in value were established by immigrants.[1] Immigrants have contributed greatly to the high-tech and biotech industries. Among the technology and engineering companies established in the period between 1995 to 2005, 25.3 percent had a foreign founder.[2] This percentage was 38.8 in California and 52.4 in Silicon Valley, which is the heart of the high-tech industry.[2]

Counter arguments

Immigration may benefit the economy in different ways, but it comes with costs as well. Younger immigrants with children that need education and older immigrants need more health care and pensions, both of which are costly.[2] However, it is the latter group that end up needing the most help. Older immigrants who are past their prime working-age need health and pension benefits from the government at a higher rate.[2] There is some evidence which shows that immigrants negatively impact the wages of native-born Americans who do not have a high school diploma.[2] For these people, immigration resulted in a 1.1 percent decrease in annual wages.[2]

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.mercatus.org/publications/trade-and-immigration/benefits-immigration-addressing-key-myths
  2. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/braingain_chapter.pdf
This page was last edited on Monday, 30 Nov 2020 at 12:16 UTC

Explore related arguments