PERCENT OF FOREIGN-BORN IN WORKFORCE AT SEVENTY YEAR HIGH According to new figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an agency within the Department of Labor, immigrants make up their largest percentage of the US workforce in 70 years. There are currently an estimated 15.7 million foreign workers employed in the US – about 12 percent of the country’s employees.
As a percent of the workforce as a whole, the number of immigrants increased seventeen percent over the past three years, a remarkable increase given the anti-immigrant sentiment of just a few years ago. Now, however, with the economy booming and unemployment at a 40 year low, immigrant workers are increasingly seen as vital to the country. Their contributions in high-tech fields are well-known, as is the fact that they dominate in fields involving hard work and low pay, such as farm and construction work. Immigration supporters point to immigrants’ contributions in high-tech fields and in fields involving hard work and low pay, such as farm and construction work as evidence that a liberal immigration policy is good for the country.
While immigrants have become an integral part of the US economy, many immigration critics are expressing concerns over the nation’s dependence on foreign-born workers. Many argue that they depress wages for US workers, and repeated studies have shown that this is the case for US workers who have not graduated from high school. Also, many are concerned about a potential backlash against immigrants when the economy is no longer so strong and they are perceived as taking jobs from Americans. < Back | Next > Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk. | 
