The Economic Impact of Illegal Aliens

By: Frank Yunker

Date: 2015-07-02

The Supreme Court has been all over the news this week, but the media has largely ignored the ruling on voter identification. The Court threw out the appeal (from Arizona and Kansas) that require voters to prove their citizenship in order to register to vote. The Court decided that a signed statement where an applicant declares they are a citizen is enough. What does the future hold based on that decision? Perhaps bumper stickers that read "I'm an illegal alien and I VOTE."


While the term "undocumented worker" is used as an euphemism, the facts remains as long as there is a law barring permanent entry without following proper protocols, those immigrants are in fact illegal aliens. Regardless of the name, what is the impact of illegal aliens?


Not many doctors come to America as illegal aliens. They would have no legal opportunity to work. Thus, illegal aliens begin their careers as part of the underground economy. It is commonly known that Brazilians are available to do lawn and gardening work on Martha's Vineyard. Despite being the bastion of American liberalism - I offered my children a dollar for every John McCain sign found on the island in 2008 and they did not find even one - Vineyard residents turn a blind eye to the issue for one simple reason - cheap lawn service. How can a Brazilian afford to live on Martha's Vineyard while making such a low wage. According to one resident - the son of a former Yale president - the Brazilians live 15 or 20 to a house. Just men, they send their excess dollars back to Brazil.


How do illegal aliens get in? It's not difficult if you can swim. I visited the Rio Grande to observe the situation first-hand. Border patrol check points are 20 miles inland from the river. There is no fence. An SUV patrols around dirt roads near the water's edge.


Contrast the US-Mexican border with that of China and Macau. Macau is a former Portuguese colony that reverted back to China in the late 1990s. It is now considered a "Special Administrative Region" and passports and visas are required to travel back and forth from the People's Republic to Macau. A white wall no more than 10 feet high separates the region from the rest of China.


So, about the economic impact. If the illegals make use of the US welfare system, then naturally they are a drain on the economy. Assuming they are here to work, they feed the underground economy with cheap labor. Who does that benefit? The hoity-toity rich of Martha's Vineyard for one.


Who does it hurt? Any unskilled American worker who might be willing to mow lawns and garden on Martha's Vineyard or any other task which is labor intensive and unskilled or semi-skilled in nature. In other words, the "working poor."


It's that simple. When a politician looks to grant amnesty to illegal aliens, it encourages more aliens to cross the border. And it hurts the working poor of America by depressing wages and wage growth. But at least it helps folks with second homes on Martha's Vineyard.