Illegal Aliens: Estimating Their Impact on the United States

While the number of persons entering the United States illegally is estimated to have increased rapidly in recent years, there is little data with which to assess their impact on American society and economy. Legislation was introduced in Congress to adjust the status of some of these aliens to permanent and temporary residency, and to provide for legal remedies if employers knowingly hire illegal aliens. However, this legislation has not been enacted. Supporters of the proposed legislation believe that granting amnesty would raise wages and working conditions, benefiting both aliens and U.S. residents, and that the imposition of employer sanctions would deter illegal aliens from entering the country. Opponents argue that amnesty condones past lawbreaking and encourages others to migrate illegally with expectations of being granted permanent or temporary status. They believe deportation of these workers would also free the job market for legal workers, and that employer sanctions could lead to discrimination against foreign-looking persons due to employers' fears of hiring illegal aliens. Using assumptions based on data gathered from Government agencies and academic researchers on various aspects of the issues, GAO developed a mathematical model to estimate the possible impact of the illegal alien population. Estimates of this impact were made with and without the granting of amnesty.