Immigration Myths See notes for detail and references

1.Most immigrants are here illegally 2.My ancestors learned English, but today’s immigrants refuse 3.Immigrants have a higher crime rate 4.Immigrants take all of the good jobs 5.Undocumented immigrants don’t pay taxes, but still get benefits 6.Immigrants have ‘anchor babies’ in order to stay in the U.S.

Myth: Most immigrants are here illegally

The total number of green cards available for all less- skilled foreign workers is limited to 5,000 per year for the entire United States. 5,000 per year

Immigration Accountability Executive Action Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative provides temporary relief from deportation (called “deferred action”) to certain young people who were brought to the United States as children and do not have legal status. Nearly 2 million people are eligible for DACA, and more than half a million young immigrants have benefitted in the first three years of the program.half a million 96 percent are employed or in school, 89 percent have a license or state ID, and overall their average hourly wages increased 45 percent. Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) initiative qualified parents of U.S citizens and lawful permanent residents would be eligible for deferred action. Following the November 2014 announcement, 26 states, led by Texas, filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of DAPA and expanded DACA. A federal district court in Texas issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily halting DAPA and expanded DACA until the lawsuit is resolved.

Myth: My ancestors learned English, but today’s immigrants refuse.

When the United States entered the WW1 [in 1917], there were over 700 German-language newspapers. Yet, German immigration had peaked in the 1870s, 45 years before

Today, the demand for adult ESL instruction in the United States far outstrips available classes. Over ½ of immigrants over 5 years old speak English very well.

Myth: Immigrants have a higher crime rate

IMMIGRANT ADULTS HAVE LOWER INCARCERATION RATES THAN U.S.-BORN ADULTS IN CALIFORNIA Percent of US born adults incarcerated in California0.8 % Percent of foreign born adults incarcerated in California0.3 % Foreign born are 1/3 as likely to be in jail.

Myth: Immigrants take all the good jobs

Foreign born are - 15% of the work age population 16.2% of the civilian labor force Their weekly wage is 80% of native born.

There is no correlation between immigration and unemployment. Immigrants—including the unauthorized—create jobs through their purchasing power and their entrepreneurship, buying goods and services from U.S. businesses and creating their own businesses, both of which sustain U.S. jobs. Immigrants’ tax payments also play a critical role in shoring up the finances of federal entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security.

Locales with high unemployment rates do not necessarily have large numbers of recent immigrants, and locales with many recent immigrants do not necessarily have high unemployment rates.

Myth: Undocumented immigrants don’t pay taxes but still get benefits.

In 2013 undocumented immigrants —and their employers— paid $13 billion in payroll taxes alone for benefits they will never get.

Undocumented immigrants also pay sales tax, excise tax, Social Security taxes property tax through their rent payment

They can receive schooling and emergency medical care, but not welfare or food stamps. They do not receive Medicaid or Medicare.

Undocumented workers contribute $12 billion to the Social Security trust fund annually. They will not receive theses benefits when they retire.

The average immigrant contributes nearly $120,000 more in taxes than he or she consumes in public benefits (measured in 2012 dollars).contributes

Myth: Immigrants have “anchor babies” in order to stay in the US

An anchor baby is a baby born in the US —children who allow the whole family to stay.

In 2013, the federal government deported about 72, 410 foreign-born parents whose children had been born here.

41 million foreign-born people living in the United States in million were naturalized citizens, permanent residents and legal residents. 11 million were unauthorized immigrants. Of those who did not have authorization to be here, 4.4 million entered legally but let their visas expire. Therefore 6.6 million entered illegally – 16%