Bishop says America would ‘grind to a standstill’ without immigrants

[Michie]

NEW YORK – Highlighting that American communities would “grind to a standstill” without the labor of undocumented immigrants, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso is encouraging Congress to create more avenues to legal employment authorization for those with pending asylum claims.

“Without their contributions, American communities would grind to a standstill,” Seitz said in an April 15 statement. “Not only are they working in some of the most arduous conditions but frequently with limited legal protections, and they are more susceptible to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.”

Seitz, who is the chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, noted that not only do undocumented workers have limited legal protections, but they are also more susceptible to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

There are at least 8.8 million undocumented immigrants currently in the labor force, according to data presented in a federal testimony on September 13, 2023, by Steven Camarota, the director of research at the Center for Migration Studies.

Continued below.

Bishop says America would ‘grind to a standstill’ without immigrants

Highlighting that American communities would “grind to a standstill” without the labor of undocumented immigrants, Bishop Mark Seitz is encouraging Congress to create more avenues to legal employment authorization for those with pending asylum claims.

cruxnow.com

 

[AlexB23]

NEW YORK – Highlighting that American communities would “grind to a standstill” without the labor of undocumented immigrants, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso is encouraging Congress to create more avenues to legal employment authorization for those with pending asylum claims.

“Without their contributions, American communities would grind to a standstill,” Seitz said in an April 15 statement. “Not only are they working in some of the most arduous conditions but frequently with limited legal protections, and they are more susceptible to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.”

Seitz, who is the chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, noted that not only do undocumented workers have limited legal protections, but they are also more susceptible to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

There are at least 8.8 million undocumented immigrants currently in the labor force, according to data presented in a federal testimony on September 13, 2023, by Steven Camarota, the director of research at the Center for Migration Studies.

Continued below.

Bishop says America would ‘grind to a standstill’ without immigrants

Highlighting that American communities would “grind to a standstill” without the labor of undocumented immigrants, Bishop Mark Seitz is encouraging Congress to create more avenues to legal employment authorization for those with pending asylum claims.

cruxnow.com

Well hey, some of our produce is harvested by immigrants. Immigrants are the backbone of our society, cos >60% of all farm workers (PDF link) are foreign-born, with a significant percentage being undocumented immigrants. Farming is labor-intensive and often requires long hours under physically demanding conditions. Immigrants' flexibility and adaptability are essential for keeping up with the unpredictable nature of farming operations, making them vital for maintaining economic viability and ensuring a consistent supply of fresh produce. Additionally, immigrants bring unique skills and knowledge to various agricultural operations.


Here is a summary of the article:

In an article published on April 16, 2024, John Lavenburg reports that Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso is advocating for Congress to create more paths to legal employment authorization for undocumented immigrants with pending asylum claims. Seitz, who chairs the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, believes that American communities would be significantly impacted if undocumented workers were not contributing to the labor force. He emphasized that these workers face limited legal protections and are more susceptible to exploitation, including human trafficking.

According to data presented in federal testimony on September 13, 2023, by Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Migration Studies, there are approximately 8.8 million undocumented immigrants in the labor force. Many of the top occupations where illegal immigrants have the largest share are manual labor jobs, such as plasterers, dry wall and ceiling tile installers, roofers, construction workers, and more. The top ten occupations with the largest number of illegal immigrants include maids and housekeepers, cooks, construction laborers, agricultural workers, and grounds maintenance workers.

Seitz also referenced the risks undocumented workers face at their jobs, citing the tragic deaths of six immigrant workers in the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse as a recent example. In addition, he sent a letter to Congress last week expressing support for granting further access to legal employment authorization for those with pending asylum claims, which the federal government estimates is over two million people.

Seitz also highlighted the fiscal impact undocumented workers have on American society. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that refugees and asylees made a net fiscal impact of $123.8 billion to the American economy at both the federal and state levels over a fifteen-year period.

The Bishop emphasized that the Church remains dedicated to securing rights and justice for undocumented workers and encouraged society as a whole to follow suit, stating, "As a society, we judge ourselves – and will be judged – by our treatment of those who are least empowered to advocate for themselves because of social, economic, and political obstacles."

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Well, he's not wrong.

The Center for American progress statistics (I'm sorry I can't reference it right now - you'll have to rely on my reputation on this) claims immigrants are going to account for 1.7 Trillion dollars in additional GDP economic growth between now and 2035.

That's a big number.

{time passes}

Found it.

And actually, this is just the undocumented immgranst. Literally every economist is America says without immigration generally the American economy will contract.

 

[The Barbarian]

It's not just the economy. America, without immigrants, would experience a declining population and would be in the same fix that threatens the societies of China, Russia, and Japan:

In China, an Unprecedented Demographic Problem Takes Shape​

In China, an Unprecedented Demographic Problem Takes Shape

Chinese society is on the verge of a structural transformation even more profound than the long and painful project of economic rebalancing, which the Communist Party is anxiously beginning to undertake.

worldview.stratfor.com

Unless something changes soon, there will not be enough working people to support the elderly.

Never mind the shrinking economy; this could become a horrific disaster.

Undocumented workers keep the economy growing and their contributions keep Social Security solvent.

 

[Wolseley]

America is going to grind to a halt anyway, and while freeloading illegals have a hand in it, the real problem are brain-dead Federal politicians who continue to print and spend money like a drunken sailor on a Saturday night in New Orleans. You can't continue to spend more money than you make; it's simple math.

Eventually, that nearly $35 trillion-dollar debt is going to come crashing down, and when it does, US currency will become less than worthless.....people will have to burn stacks of hundred-dollar bills to stay warm in the winter. Tax revenue only comes to $5 billion, and the gross domestic product is less than $29 billion. In short: the government spends more than we make. And they don't come up with solutions to fix the looming disaster---they simply print more money to cover the loss and kick the can down the road.

I am not an economist, but even I know that if the output exceeds your income, the upkeep will be your downfall.

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

 

[The Barbarian]

America is going to grind to a halt anyway, and while freeloading illegals

As you learned, most of them are working and building the economy. Would you like to see more evidence for that?

the real problem are brain-dead Federal politicians who continue to print and spend money like a drunken sailor on a Saturday night in New Orleans.

We fired him in 2020. Not surprisingly, the annual deficit declined under Biden. The debt, however,carries over from previous administrations, and is becoming a major concern. The problem is the republican mantra:

"You know, Paul, Reagan proved that deficits don't matter. "
VP Dick Cheney

Donald Trump was far from the first republican to make that assumption.

I am not an economist, but even I know that if the output exceeds your income, the upkeep will be your downfall.

Reagan and Trump seem to have disagreed with you.