Economics
Immigration Boosts U.S. Economy Even as Low-Skilled Wages Dented
- National Academies study released in middle of election cycle
- High-tech wins with immigration, but teens and dropouts lose
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Immigration provides a net long-term benefit to the U.S. economy, even though foreign-born workers depress wages for some low-skilled Americans and weigh on state and local budgets.
A study released Thursday by the National Academies of Sciences analyzed the fiscal impacts of immigration on the $18 trillion U.S. economy. It concluded that immigrants will power the U.S. economy by replacing aging Baby Boomers in the workforce, lifting housing demand and influencing the rate of innovation and entrepreneurship.