Immigrants in the U.S. Economy: Overcoming Hurdles, Yet Still Facing Barriers
Most immigrants have been able to find at least moderate success in the U.S. economic landscape and a substantial number have done quite well, according to a study released today by Immigration Research Initiative. At the same time, disproportionate numbers of immigrants struggle to make ends meet in low-wage jobs.
“Two things are true at once,” said Anthony Capote, co-author of the report and senior policy analyst at Immigration Research Initiative. “On the one hand, a disproportionate number of immigrants are paid less than it costs to survive in the U.S. economy, despite many working in jobs that we all rely on. On the other hand, immigrants are a robust part of the economy in a wide range of middle- and upper-wage jobs.”
The study defines wage categories based on the median for full-time, year round workers. Middle-wage is between 2/3 and double the median—$35,000 to $104,000. Low-wage is under $35,000, and upper-wage is above $104,000. “Immigrants” includes all people born in a foreign country and living in the United States, whatever their immigration status.
Using these definitions, about two thirds of immigrants working full-time are in middle-wage jobs or better—48 percent of immigrants are in middle-wage jobs, and 17 percent in upper-wage jobs.
By the same token a little more than a third of immigrants, 35 percent, are in low-wage jobs. In the low-wage labor market, the challenges are greater across the board for women, and for Latinx and Black workers, whether immigrants or U.S.-born. Of the 33 million people in the U.S. working full-time yet in low-wage jobs, 7 million are immigrants—a substantial share of whom are undocumented—and 25 million are U.S.-born.
“There is more than one immigrant story,” added David Dyssegaard Kallick, director of Immigration Research Initiative. “Immigrants are bus drivers, construction workers, engineers, doctors, nurses, accountants, emergency services staff, college professors, and more.”
“If we want to understand what’s happening in the low-wage labor market,” Kallick added, “it’s critical to understand the struggles of immigrants, people of color, and women. But if we focus only on the low-wage labor market then we leave out the varied and often successful story of most immigrants in America.”
National Report:
IRI Report on the United States
State-Level Reports:
Maryland Report, Maryland Center on Economic Policy
Nebraska Report, Opensky
New Mexico Report, New Mexico Voices for Children
North Carolina Report, IRI with North Carolina Budget & Tax Center
Oregon Report, IRI with Oregon Center for Public Policy
IRI Reports on Regions of New York State:
Press Coverage:
United States-
Long Island-
Nebraska-