The claim that increased border security would eliminate undocumented immigration is blathered on talk radio and asserted by policymakers all of the time. But, the truth is, we've been increasing border security for decades without success! Before throwing your hands up in frustration and defeat when you hear this myth, consider responding with these quick mythbusting facts!

FACT: Increased border security and the construction of border fences have done little to curb the flow of immigrants across the United States border. Instead, these policies have only succeeded in pushing border crossers into dangerous and less-patrolled regions, and increased the undocumented population by creating an incentive for immigrants not to leave.

FACT: Building a wall along the entire 2000-mile southern U.S. border would be prohibitively expensive. According to a study by the Cato Institute, rather than acting as a deterrent to those attempting to cross the border, increased enforcement has only succeeded in pushing immigration flows into more remote, less patrolled regions, resulting in a tripling of the death rate at the border and decreased apprehensions, and creating a dramatic increase in taxpayer money spent on making arrests along the border (from $300 per arrest in 1992 to $1,200 per arrest in 2002).

FACT: Most experts agree that the decline in the number of unauthorized immigrants is closely linked to the US recession and not to border security programs. Studies have found that historically, recessions affect unauthorized workers disproportionately, as they are more likely to work in industries that are sensitive to business cycles, such as construction, manufacturing, and hospitality. Additionally, statistics show that in 2009, there were 50% less apprehensions at the border than in 2006, a sign that there is less incentive for people to come to the US during recession. More mythbusting facts on this issue can be found in Immigration Myths and Facts, a report from the The ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project.

This article was published with the permission of AILA  (American Immigration Lawyers Association) AILA Doc. No. 10050530.

For more information on immigration policies, visit www.aila.org.

New York - May 17, 2010 -- America’s economy is flailing, and 78 million baby boomers are nearing  retirement, at which point they will leave the workforce to receive massive  amounts of Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits. In a time of major  economic downturn, the unlikely “saving grace” is the immigrant population,  which pays into the Social Security system without collecting benefits.

Undocumented immigrants in the U.S. comprise approximately 5 percent of the  workforce. Contrary to popular belief, between one-half and three-quarters of  undocumented immigrants pay federal and state income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes – in addition to sales and property taxes. As of October  2005, the SSA concluded that undocumented immigrants contributed an  estimated $520 billion to the Social Security system – a figure that would increase exponentially if all of these immigrants were required to earn their legal status and contribute their share.

Despite the absence of progressive immigration policy reform, the tax contributions of immigrants are very evident. Even at the state level, undocumented immigrants still pay more in taxes than they use in public services.

• The Texas State Comptroller determined in a 2006 study that undocumented immigrants produced $1.58 billion in state revenues, exceeding the $1.16 billion they received in state services.
• The Oregon Center for Public Policy in 2007 estimated that undocumented immigrants pay state income, excise, property taxes, federal Social Security and Medicare taxes totaling between “$134 million  to $187 million annually.” Meanwhile, Oregon employers paid an  estimated $97 million to $136 million annually on behalf of their undocumented workers.
• The Iowa Policy Project determined that “undocumented immigrants pay an estimated aggregate amount of $40 million to $62 million in state taxes each year.” Immigrants also make tax contributions through their enormous purchasing power. In a 2002 study by the Center for Urban Economic Development at the University of Chicago, researchers found that undocumented immigrants in the Chicago metro area spent $2.81 billion in 2001 – spending which “sustained 31,908 jobs in the local economy.”

As the baby boomers creep towards retirement and begin to strain the SSA, immigrants will be subsidizing Social Security benefits, making retirement possible for millions of Americans. By requiring the undocumented to come out  of the shadows and earn legal status, immigrants will not only contribute by  paying taxes, but will play a hefty role in shoring up the teetering Social Security  system, and provide a fiscal windfall to U.S. taxpayers.

This article was published with the permission of AILA  (American Immigration Lawyers Association) AILA Doc. No. 08071666.

For more information on immigration policies, visit www.aila.org.