Those who didn’t tune in to ABC last Thursday for their weekly dosage of Grey’s Anatomy might not know that President Barack Obama broadcasted his executive action. The action will protect millions of illegal immigrants in the United States from deportation and provide many of them with work permits.
Inevitably, the reaction from Republicans and the conservative pundits claiming this move as a betrayal of our political order would have you think there was a constitutional apocalypse. The list of critics is a long one, as a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner labeled the president “Emperor Obama” before he had even announced the plan. Moreover, certain leading liberal political analysts agonize that the reform sets a precarious example for standards of governance.
Despite the doubters, Obama is working well within the boundaries of the law, and he is certainly not the first president to operate executive actions to further a policy on immigration. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and both Bushes have all employed executive actions in the past to handle the legal status and deportation rate of immigrants.
Above all, accounting for nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants will boost the economy significantly. According to an analysis by the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), the President’s executive actions on immigration would boost economic output by an estimated 0.4 to 0.9 percent over ten years, corresponding to increases in GDP of $90 billion to $210 billion in 2024.
One specific way this immigration reform will enhance the state of the economy is by increasing the productivity of the labor force in the United States. By allowing undocumented workers to come out of the shadows, it gives them the opportunity to obtain work that is more suited to their skills and potential. As a result of an increase in productivity and innovation, average wages for all workers, both U.S.-born and immigrant, will rise.
In addition to the increase in productivity of the workforce, there will also be an expansion in the size of the American workforce. CEA estimates an expansion of the American labor force by almost 150,000 people over the next 10 years as a result of the President’s executive actions. Moreover, a larger economy will reduce the deficit. The growth of the economy indicates more tax revenue which means the government will not be forced to borrow as much to support the operations of the government. The decrease in the amount the government borrows translates into a decrease of spending on interest payments, which accordingly reduces overall government spending and eventually shrinks the deficit.
If the huge benefits to the economy do not satisfy the people, there is always the important aspect of helping to keep families together. America was created through the labor of generations of immigrants and the strength of families is what makes the country strong. Obama’s plan is to utilize resources to deport gang members rather than deporting someone’s parent or child. This priority will reduce the tragic loss that occurs when families are torn apart by senseless deportations.
Giving these illegal immigrants the chance to come out of the shadows would benefit them, benefit the economy and benefit the country. It is the moral thing to do and whilst ideally it would be done through a law putting them closer to citizenship, it is better done through executive action than not at all.
