Introduction
Attention Getter
The authors of an article published in The Online Journal of the Migration Policy Institute in 2016 reported that just over the last few decades, the population of immigrants in the US changed from 9.6 million in the 1970s to 42.4 million in 2014 (Zong and Batalova par. 7). In addition, the reporters also stated that the increase in the percentage of the foreign-born population in the United States between the years of 2013 and 2014 equaled 2.5% which represented as many as one million people (Zong and Batalova par. 7).
Topic Reveal
In that way, this speech will concern the impacts of such a massive inflow of foreign-born individuals in the United States.
Relevance Statement
In particular, as mentioned in the Online Journal of the Migration Policy Institute, about 13.3% of all the American population is comprised of immigrants (Zong and Batalova par. 7). Judging from such a high percentage of the immigrant population in the modern USA, it is likely that many people present right here in the audience either are immigrants or are somehow related or close to immigrants.
Credibility Statement
This speech relies only on the most credible sources of data and information such as the Online Journal of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Thesis
Even though the immigration in the United States is a powerful driver of the domestic economy, it is also a serious threat to the wage rates of the native population and health and welfare system
Preview
. First, this speech will cover the issue of the benefits generated by immigration and then will move on to the complications it produces.
Main Point 1: Benefits of Immigration
Internal Preview
The US economy has been majorly built due to the work of the immigrant laborers who also tend to fill the skills gaps and versatile vacancies.
Sub-Point 1
As reported by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, based on the data from 2014, over the past decade, about 50% of the workforce growth in the United States can be attributed to the activity of the immigrant workers (OECD 1). The authorities representing the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development are convinced that the major benefits these individuals carry for the economy of the receiving country are the facts that they arrive with skills, education, and accomplishments, can contribute to the diversification of the local workforce and economic sustainability, and also enhance the size of the population of the working-age (OECD 1).
Sub-Point 2
In addition, the declining and developing sectors of the domestic economy of the USA are in the constant need for the new workforce. Reviewing the data of 2014, The OECD professionals also emphasized that the arrival of immigrant workers provides the necessary human resources for both of these sectors thus keeping them competitive and active (OECD 1).
Internal Summary
To sum up, the inflow of immigrant working population is rather beneficial for the domestic economy and helps keep both skilled and unskilled segments of industries afloat.
Main Point 2: Disadvantages of Immigration
Internal Preview
However, apart from versatile positive impacts, immigration in the United States brings several challenges. The most significant adverse outcomes immigration are the overloaded health and welfare systems and the following decrease in wages.
Sub-Point 1
Since the immigrant workers come from developing countries and are primarily unskilled, they tend to agree to work for lower wages in the United States. The authors of a book that was published with the assistance of the Federation for American Immigration Reform in 2011 pointed out that this phenomenon drives down the overall salaries for the workers of both foreign and native backgrounds and, in turn, causes the dissatisfaction of the latter (Ruark and Graham 2).
Sub-Point 2
In addition, the authorities recognized by FAIR also specified that according to the data of 2011, many immigrants have very low levels of income and thus are eligible for various state aid programs; as a result, the health and welfare systems of the country become strained and require more funds that majorly come from the taxpayer money (Ruark and Graham 14).
Internal Summary
In summary, the presence of immigrant workers causes public dissatisfaction due to the lower wages and their consumption of health and welfare benefits.
Conclusion
Review
Immigration in the USA has both positive and negative aspects that are frequently discussed and argues about. Most people living in America have been in contact with immigrants or are foreign-born. The issues of wages and welfare benefits are the common points of criticism of immigration.
Closing Comments
However, it is important to remember that it is illegal immigration that is the primary cornerstone of the debates concerning the strain of the economy and many other challenges related to the foreign-born population in the US. In fact, PEW Research of 2016 reported that even though the current rate of illegal immigration has declined, it still remains very high (Gonzalez-Barrera and Krogstag par. 2).
Clincher
At the same time, the legal immigrants are the resource that provides the addition of 30 billion dollars to the US economy; that way, the value of the immigrants in terms of economy is likely to exceed the level of strain they cause.
Works Cited
Gonzalez-Barrerra, Ana, and Jens Manuel Krogstag. What we know about illegal immigration from Mexico. 2015. Web.
OECD. Is Migration Good for the Economy? 2014. Web.
Ruark, Eric, and Matthew Graham. Immigration, Poverty, and Low-Wage Earners. 2011. Web.
Zong, Jie, and Joanne Batalova. Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States. 2016. Web.