The Immigrants They Scorn

Feb. 13, 2008 12:00 AM
While some presidential candidates try to score political points by playing into apprehension about immigration, the immigrants they vilify are busy sustaining the American economy.

Immigrants play a crucial role in our nation's academic, medical and high-tech sectors. Almost 25 percent of doctors and 40 percent of registered nurses in this country are foreign-born, as are more than 30 percent of those conducting advanced science and engineering research at U.S. universities. In addition to meeting our skilled-labor needs, immigrants hold more than a third of our nation's agriculture, maintenance, meat- and poultry-processing and construction jobs.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that our economy will need 2 million new low-skilled laborers annually during the next 20 years, and Americans will only be able to fill 25 percent of that demand. These are often low-paying, physically demanding jobs that are not wanted by our citizens, but are essential to the economic growth that provides better jobs and living standards for all Americans.

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