Reframing Immigration

Here is a piece on why immigration reform benefits the middle class.  Key points include:

• More than ever, current and aspiring middle-class Americans depend on the goods and services immigrants produce and consume, and the businesses they run. Only an earned legalization program would enable the country to maximize the contributions of millions of immigrants already participating in our economy.

• We also shed light on the fact that unscrupulous employers use the threat of deportation to intimidate unauthorized immigrant workers, ensuring that they won’t complain about poor wages or unsafe working conditions. This drives down labor standards for all workers. But an earned legalization program will increase the ability of unauthorized immigrants to stand up for their workplace rights and build coalitions with American workers to improve job quality.

• As Republicans and Democrats reconsider a timeline for comprehensive immigration reform, they must make the case to middle-class Americans that an immigration overhaul would benefit the entire country and even help drive economic recovery.

KJ