Ag Policy Blog

White House Touts Benefits of Offering Citizenship

Chris Clayton
By  Chris Clayton , DTN Ag Policy Editor
Connect with Chris:
@ChrisClaytonDTN

The White House continues to emphasize the benefits of immigration reform through a series of studies, blogs and other material.

On Tuesday, the White House issued a report touting the path to citizenship in the Senate immigration bill that was adopted in June. The report made it clear that the Obama administration doesn't want the more conservative House to simply provide legal status to the 11 million or so people now in the country illegally.

"We cannot afford a system that creates a group which can never become fully American, denying equal rights to people who pay the same taxes and play by the same rules even after they've paid a penalty and gotten on the right side of the law."

The report cited other recent studies in pointing to the benefits for the economy and taxes for citizenship compared to simply having legal statue. One study from the Center for American Progress found that gross domestic product would increase $568 billion through 2022 from citizenship, adding $75 billion more in taxes paid.

Immigrants working toward citizenship also have other incentives to assimilate into the community. "Citizenship may also serve as a signal for other characteristics, including basic command of English and possession of 'good moral character' -- both requirements for naturalization," the report cited. 

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The White House also posted a blog with the owner of a farm in Georgia talking with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about the importance of immigration reform to farmers. The Georgia farmer, Jason Berry, explained that he lost workers after a new immigration law in Georgia.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/…

http://www.whitehouse.gov/…

On cue with the administration's argument was a report released by JPMorgan explaining the challenges with U.S. GDP growth. One reason growth is slow is because of the decline in work force. Baby Boomers are retiring. At the same time, the country isn't bringing in immigrants in the way it once did.

"A key influence here has been the estimated slowdown in net migration, both legal and illegal," said JPMorgan economist Michael Feroli, who wrote the report.

http://www.businessinsider.com/…

I can be found on Twitter @ChrisClaytonDTN

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Bonnie Dukowitz
8/21/2013 | 6:29 AM CDT
Viscious circle. The declining workforce is do to people think they should start at the top, if they choose to work at all. The Indian type issue, Jay, was world wide in all nations 500 years ago. Think about it, after the Spanish pony, the female Native American had some value. Think what you like , 500 years ago a Female American 35 years of age was a great grandmother and an old-old woman. The buffalo skins were cured by them chewing on them to soften with the saliva. That is the way it was.
Jay Mcginnis
8/19/2013 | 5:03 PM CDT
Oh Craig, the Indians said the same thing about the Europeans 500 years ago, relax, it turned out the best for them,,,, right?
CRAIG MOORE
8/14/2013 | 8:40 AM CDT
After they become "legal" what is going to stop them from dropping the hoe and the butcher knife and going into town and getting a easier and better paying job. With such high unemployed Americans and the ag crying for workers means the government is paying people too much in benefits so they don't have to work. The illegal immigrants that are made legal will pretty much find it an easy task to take away town jobs from the incompetent and lazy that will then rely on the government for handouts to survive without contributing anything. When the immigrants move into town we will need a whole new wave to take their place.