New Report Projects Economic Growth and Contributions for Asylum Seekers and New Immigrants Across U.S.
Today, the Immigration Research Initiative (IRI), along with representatives of Every Texan, the Colorado Fiscal Institute, and America’s Voice, hosted a webinar to release a national report with state-by-state data that projects the expected wages, economic growth, and state and local tax contributions from asylum seekers and newly arriving immigrants in the United States.
According to the report by IRI, immigrants in the United States contribute millions of dollars in state and local taxes. This figure increases as their earnings grow over time. Within the first two years of their arrival, each 1,000 new immigrant workers are projected to earn $22 million in total aggregate wages, a direct economic benefit to the region in which they are working in both the value of work produced and in added local spending power. As they continue to reside in the U.S., learn English, and gain work experience their contribution per 1,000 workers is expected to increase to $32 million a year in total wages earned.
These immigrants will also pay state and local taxes that will offset the costs to local governments. Each 1,000 new immigrant workers will add an average of $2.5 million a year to the state and local governments of their settlement, a figure that rises to $3.6 million after immigrants have been here for five years. For individual immigrants, their wages (and therefore their tax and other contributions) progress in a clear manner over time. A projection can be found here.
State by state data is also available. “Economic Projections for Asylum Seekers and New Immigrants: U.S. and 50 States”, was released in conjunction with joint Immigration Research Initiative releases of detailed state-level reports in a number of other states including in Texas with Every Texan, and in Colorado with the Colorado Fiscal Institute.
Reports from several other states are available on the Immigration Research Initiative website. Quotes from the webinar and report rollout can be found below.
“For as long as Texas has been Texas, hard working people have united – both old and recent arrivals – in pursuit of a better, more prosperous life. This data shows the centuries old reality continues to be true today. Rather than pitting recent and long-time Americans against each other, policymakers should recognize the humanity of new immigrants and asylum seekers as well as the benefit they bring to our economy"
"The current arrival of immigrants to the United States has certainly shown us the challenges that come with managing thousands of new residents at a time. Demographic trends, however, tell us that these challenges are largely temporary. From the moment immigrants start working in the United States, they show a tremendous capacity for upward mobility and economic success"
"This is a humanitarian crisis. There are immediate, emergency response needs that need to be taken care of and we’re doing it the best way we can with our limited resources. If we do this right, and stabilize these families, it’s a benefit to us in the long run. The state demographer will tell you we need people. These are people. These are people coming with families that can replace an aging workforce. The quicker we stabilize families, the faster they can contribute"