Immigrants are vital to recovery

State and local governments, struggling with their budgets, need immigration reform as much as the immigrants do. As our economy recovers, we need all these people working and paying taxes. - - Donna Poisl

In purchasing power and taxes, they contribute greatly to the economy.

By Walter Ewing

As Pennsylvania grapples with a budget deficit brought on by the current recession, state and local policy makers would do well to keep in mind that immigrant communities are a potent force for economic recovery.

Immigrants and their adult children already contribute billions of dollars to the state economy each year as workers, taxpayers, consumers, and entrepreneurs. These contributions would be even greater if illegal immigrants had a pathway to legal status, which would draw all of them into the tax system. Moreover, newly legalized workers could earn higher wages, further increasing their tax contributions and the amount of money they have to spend in Pennsylvania.
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