Economic effects of immigration are addressed by Kennedy, Chavez and Mills in their articles. Kennedy points out that although individually some of the immigrants do indeed end up dependent on public assistance, as a group they make a positive economic contribution (313). I tend to agree with Kennedy that "the large number of unskilled immigrants may in the long run retard still higher potential outputs, because the inexpensive labor supply that they provide diminishes incentives to substitute capital and improved technology for labor, and thus inhibits productivity gains"(312). Mills on the other hand points out that immigrants taking low paying jobs that most natives will not take will cause wage decline. "To make such jobs attractive for natives," says mills, "wages will have to be increased" (346). He also asks a very important question that is worth thinking about. "What happens after those working at substandard wages become sufficiently Americanized to want more? "(346)!
. Chavez argues that the inflow of unskilled immigrants does not benefit the economy and in order to prevent that we must change the system to favor those with skills (332),
but she overlooks the fact that it is mostly the unskilled immigrants that do the jobs most natives do not want to do. Mills makes a good point when he says that wages of unattractive jobs should be increased to make them more attractive, a solution Unz calls "economics 101" (346). On the other hand, in a capitalist market where supply and demand determines wages, how do you increase such wages. Chavez answers this question when she suggests that the system should be changed to favor those with skills (332) which will reduce the supply of such labor, increase its demand and finally cause an increase in wages for such jobs. This will make them more attractive to natives. This I believe will reduce the number of immigrants dependent on the economy.
ed to recognize that even though private agencies have succeeded on a small scale in getting refuges off welfare and other programs, they might be able to do so on a large scale. I support the idea of the government doing its best to get people off welfare and limiting the number of immigrants who have not worked enough from r
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