Editor’s Note: The following article is part of our “Debunking the Lies” campaign aimed at refuting the lies being told about immigrants, migrants and refugees.
Daniel Costa and Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute last February refuted the idea that immigrants are taking jobs away from U.S.-born workers.
They wrote, “The reality is that the economy does not have a fixed number of jobs, and what we see today is a growing economy adding jobs for both immigrants and U.S.-born workers.” They say that “key facts show immigrants are not hurting the employment outcomes of U.S.-born workers.” These include:
“The unemployment rate for U.S.-born workers averaged 3.6% in 2023, the lowest rate on record. Obviously, immigration is not causing high unemployment among U.S.-born workers.
“The share of prime-age (ages 25–54) U.S.-born individuals with a job is at its highest rate in more than two decades.
“Though the immigrant share of the labor force reached a record high in 2023, immigrant labor force growth is not occurring at an unprecedented rate.
“Immigrants are an integral part of our labor market, filling gaps caused by demographic changes in the United States and contributing to strong economic growth. The immigrants that make up 18.6% of the U.S. labor force are playing key roles in numerous industries and are employed in a mix of lower, middle, and higher-wage jobs.”
Ignore the lies and, instead, ask why so many people in the US and other countries are homeless and hungry when so much wealth is in the hands of the few.
There’s power in numbers. Our hope lies in our unity.
Bob Lee is a professional journalist, writer and editor, and is co-editor of the People’s Tribune, serving as Managing Editor. He first started writing for and distributing the People’s Tribune in 1980, and joined the editorial board in 1987.
