One of the great mantras the pro-amnesty crowd likes to chant is that America needs immigrants for the economy. Oh, the fruit will rot on the vine and other such nonesense. Not true, and history proves it:
Between 1925 and 1965, we had a level of immigration that averaged less than 180,000 admissions per year. Illegal immigration during that period was not the serious problem that it is today.
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During that period of restricted immigration — curtailed in part because of World War II and the Depression — the overall trend in economic growth was impressive. It was a time of rapid industrialization and mechanization, a major move from rural America and work in agriculture to the cities and industrial jobs.
Women entered the work force in large numbers. In 1920, according to the census, 23.7% of women were in the work force. By 1970, before the effects of the 1965 change in the immigration law had significantly expanded immigrant admissions, the share of women in the work force had grown to 43.3%.
The best indicator of how the U.S. economy responded to the period of low immigration between 1925 and 1966 may be seen in inflation-adjusted GDP per capita over that period. It clearly shows that, apart from a rapid jump during WWII and a drop back following it, the overall trend is rising national product — i.e., economic development.
It may also be seen that the increase in per capita GDP has continued since the 1965 Immigration Act unleashed rapid immigration growth. But the rate of increase since 1966 is not as great as it was during the period of low immigration.
From 1925 to 1966, GDP per capita increased by 168.4%. That is an average annual increase of 4.0%. During the period since then (1966-2005), the increase in GDP per capita has been 114.2%. That is an annual average increase of 2.9%.
So, if the flow of illegal aliens coming into America to work, kill, rape and maim people slowed, America would be all right. So let’s not pretend that giving amnesty to law breakers is in the best interest of the economy.
Build the fence.
