Immigrants, legal and illegal, spent $37 billion in Arizona last year. "If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Arizona, the state would lose $26.4 billion in expenditures, $11.7 billion in economic output, and approximately 140,324 jobs..." according to a Perryman Group study. KFYI story | Immigration Policy Center report
I know that this is a complex and emotionally charged topic, but if we're looking at this issue from a strictly economic perspective (not even looking at the issues of compassion and justice and global fairness) we have to get creative and figure out ways to make this place more immigrant friendly.
The fact is that we're soon in the same boat as Europe. The shrinking workforce of native-born Americans is not going to be able to maintain the economic engine. If we do not embrace immigration and make it easier for people to come here legally we're going to be totally uncompetitive with India and China in 10 years.
We still have options:
a. we can pretend that the parade doesn't exist.
b. we can complain about the disruptive nature of the parade going down OUR streets.
c. we can run out in front of the parade, stretch out our arms and try to stop it -- and get trampled in the process.
d. or we can grab a baton, run out in front of the band and start leading it -- and enjoy the fun of being in a parade.
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