Washington, D.C. — A new report released today by the Center for American Progress found that comprehensive immigration reform, such as the proposed legislation recently filed by the Senate’s bipartisan “Gang of 8,” will lead to significant economic gains for numerous states, including states with the highest undocumented immigrant populations. The report, “National and State-by-State Economic Benefits of Immigration Reform,” outlines how granting undocumented immigrants access to both legal status and earned citizenship will boost states’ economic growth, earnings, tax revenues, and job creation—improving the lives of all Americans.
The report, a follow-up to CAP’s March 2013 report tracking national economic gains resulting from immigration reform, calculates the economic benefits of 24 states that contain roughly 88 percent of the United States’ undocumented immigrants. Across all of these states, the economic gains are significant. In California, for example, where approximately 2.5 million undocumented immigrants currently reside, immigration reform would lead to a $125.5 billion increase in the gross state product, or GSP, over a 10-year period. Furthermore, the state would see an additional $5.3 billion in tax revenues over a 10-year span and 18,200 new jobs created annually.
The state-by-state analysis also revealed:
- All of the 24 states included in this study would experience a 10-year cumulative increase in GSP—ranging from $510 million to $144.6 billion—once immigration reform is enacted.
- All 24 states would earn additional tax revenues exceeding $200 million over a 10-year period, while 10 of the states’ additional tax revenues will surpass $1.3 billion.
- Cumulatively, immigration reform will create an average 107,100 jobs annually in the 24 states included in this analysis.
With roughly 11.1 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States, providing these individuals legal status and a pathway to citizenship will yield significant economic benefits not just at the federal level but also within the states. The sooner we grant legal status and provide a pathway to citizenship to undocumented immigrants, the sooner all Americans will be able to reap these benefits.
Read the full analysis here.
To speak with an expert on this topic, contact Crystal Patterson [email protected] or 202.478.6350.