| Migrant Workers Stabilize Economy
Although border security measures have become a
significant part of bilateral talks between the U.S. and Mexico
since September, the central immigration issues must still be
addressed. A new report released by the Pew Hispanic Center
1concludes that for nearly a century now the U.S. has
relied on Mexican migrant workers to fill domestic labor shortages
in nearly every area of U.S. commerce.
The composite report, authored by several
professors from around the country, explains that from the early
1940s implementation of the "Bracero Program" to the most recent
legalization program in 1986, history proves that U.S. economic
progress and stability can be greatly enhanced by the contributions
of immigrant labor.
Important Considerations
As President Bush and Mexican
President Vicente Fox continue discussions on the framework of a
comprehensive immigration reform, researchers at the Pew Hispanic
Center expect several major elements will be considered for any
permanent improvements:
- A measure to permit undocumented workers
currently living in the U.S. to gain legal immigrant
status.
- A program to legalize the flow of future
immigrants that is linked to employment.
- Separate measures that would legalize
immigrant workers already in the U.S. and ensure a supply of
workers in the future.
Still, even with all of these
issues incorporated into an agreement, researchers agree that
policymakers are faced with a greater dilemma of deciding if only
Mexicans will be able to receive these reforms or if they will be
extended to the undocumented of other nations.
 Using a mid-range
estimate of 7.8 million total undocumented workers in the U.S.,
Frank Bean, a demographer at the University of California-Irvine,
estimates that 4.5 million are from Mexico while the remaining 3.3
million are of other nationalities. Professor Bean calculates that
just by simply using these numbers, Mexico is the country that would
benefit the most by any new immigration policies.
Eligibility
Another controversy that both governments must
resolve, according to the report, is the eligibility criteria for an
undocumented worker to qualify for a legalization program. Proposals
of this nature often place emphasis on the duration of time an
undocumented worker has resided in the U.S. These requirements are
designed to determine to what extent the individual has established
himself in the country.
Professor Bean estimates that if ten years of
residency were required only 3.8 million would be eligible, and 5.8
million if at least five years were required. Bean's findings
indicate that nearly a quarter of the undocumented population
arrived within the last five years, which is perhaps an indicator of
the U.S. economy's demand for workers during a period of rapid
growth.
Urban Workers
As immigration discussions progress between the
U.S. and Mexico, the authors of the report believe it is important
to recognize the labor force breakdown by industry.
B. Lindsay Lowell, director of research at the
Pew Hispanic Center, calculates that there are nearly 5 million
undocumented workers in the U.S. economy. He believes that these
estimates prove immigrant workers to be a very substantial presence
in sectors where they are concentrated. More than a million
unauthorized workers are employed in manufacturing and a similar
number in the service industry. More than 600,000 work in
construction and more than 700,000 in restaurants.
Total Undocumented
Estimates
Of the 8 million undocumented workers living in
the U.S., Professor Bean estimates that 58 percent are Mexican, 20
percent are from Central America and the remaining 20 percent from
all other origins. Bean contributes the large percentage of Mexican
residing in the U.S. to a large common border and a long history of
Mexican migration to the U.S. The potential for growth among the
relatively recent stream of immigrants from Central America is
difficult to determine, according to Bean.
U.S. economic progress and stability can be
greatly enhanced by immigrant labor.
The Agricultural
Laborforce
In the same study, agricultural labor economist
Philip Martin estimates that from 1 to 1.4 million unauthorized
workers are employed in the agricultural sector. His research also
suggests that between 430,000 to 530,000 currently unauthorized
workers would be eligible to participate in a guest worker program
where participants are required between 90 to 120 days of
agricultural work to qualify for permanent immigration status.
If specific legalization privileges were given
to agricultural workers in a joint agreement, Martin concludes the
need to fill jobs would be tremendous as many of the migrants would
leave the agricultural sector in search of higher wages in other
areas of the economy.
Several other research groups found similar data
to support these findings. According to a report prepared in 1990,
undocumented immigrants paid $547 million in Illinois state tax,
while the national aggregate contribution equaled $7 billion.
Surprisingly, The Urban Institute also found that undocumented
immigrants contributed a national total of $2.7 billion to Social
Security and another $168 million to unemployment insurance taxes,
both programs they will be unable to access because of their legal
status.
Conclusion
Recent statistics compiled by the Pew Hispanic
Center suggest Mexico contributes more to the U.S. laborforce than
any other foreign country. With the creation of a new legalization
program, nearly half of all undocumented workers could be eligible
for legal status. The agriculture sector estimates that it will
require approximately a half a million workers over the next decade
to maintain its current rate of
production | 
