Thread: Study: Most new Texas jobs went to immigrants

by Byron York Chief Political Correspondent

The Washington Examiner

September 22, 2011

ORLANDO --

With both jobs and immigration likely topics of sharp debate at tonight's Republican debate here in Florida, a new report suggests that newly-arrived immigrants have filled a majority of new jobs created in Texas, home to Republican frontrunner Gov. Rick Perry.

"Of jobs created in Texas since 2007, 81 percent were taken by newly arrived immigrant workers (legal and illegal)," says the report from the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates reduced levels of both legal and illegal immigration. The report estimates that about 40 percent of the new jobs were taken by illegal immigrants, while 40 percent were taken by legal immigrants. The vast majority of both groups, legal and illegal, were not American citizens.

Native-born Americans filled just 20 percent of the new jobs in Texas, the report says, even though "the native born accounted for 69 percent of the growth in Texas' working-age population." "Thus, even though natives made up most of the growth in potential workers, most of the job growth went to immigrants," the report concludes.

The report is based on analysis of the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey.

The study notes that 56 percent of newly-arrived immigrants in Texas since 2007 have had a high-school degree or less. But it also notes that "More than one out three…of newly arrived immigrants who took a job had at least some college." It would be a mistake, the report concludes, "to assume that immigrants are only competing for jobs at the bottom end of the labor market."

On the issue of immigration, Gov. Perry has been the target of criticism from some rivals because he opposes building a border fence and opposes E-Verify, while he supports in-state tuition for illegal immigrants as well as a guest-worker program. Rival Mitt Romney has made clear that he disagrees with Perry on each of those positions, and it's likely that the issue will arise again in the Orlando debate.

In a press release accompanying the study, the Center for Immigration Studies makes a clear effort to cast doubt on Perry's record. The relevant portion of that release:

As Republicans go through the process of selecting their party’s nominee, job growth in Texas during the current economic downturn has been the subject of much discussion. GOP frontrunner Perry has argued that he has a proven record of job creation in his state, even during the current economic downturn. It is true that Texas is one of the only states where the number of people working has increased during the recession. What has not been acknowledged is that immigrants have been the primary beneficiaries of this job growth, not native-born Americans. About 40 percent job growth went to newly arrived illegal immigrants and another 40 percent to new legal immigrants.

Some may argue that it was the arrival of immigrants in the state that stimulated what job growth there was for natives. But, if immigration stimulates job growth for natives, the numbers in Texas would look very different. The unemployment rate and the employment rate (share holding job) of natives in Texas show a dramatic deterioration during the recession that is similar to the rest of the country. Among the native-born, Texas ranks 22nd in terms of unemployment and 29th in terms of its employment rate. Outside of Texas many of the top immigrant-receiving states have the worst economies. Unemployment in the 10-top immigrant-receiving states in 2011 averaged 8.7 percent, compared to 7.2 percent on average in the 10 states where the fewest immigrants arrived since 2007. These figures do not settle the longstanding debate over the economics of immigration. What they do show is that high immigration is not necessarily associated with positive labor market outcomes for the! native-born.

Some may still feel that less-educated immigrants who work at the bottom of the labor market do not really compete with natives. It is true that 56.8 percent of newly arrived immigrants had no more than a high school education. However, there are more than 3 million native-born workers in Texas who have no more than a high school education. Between 2007 and 2011 the number of native-born Texans with a high school degree or less not working increased by 259,000 and their unemployment rates nearly doubled. It would be very difficult to find evidence that less-educated workers were in short supply in the state.

It must also be remembered that many immigrants are more educated. In fact, 43.2 percent (97,000) of newly arrived immigrants who took a job in Texas had at least some college. Thus it would a mistake to assume that immigrants are only competing for jobs at the bottom end of the labor market.

The Republican debate, sponsored by Fox News, Google, and the Republican Party of Florida, is scheduled for 9 p.m. tonight in Orlando.

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer. ... immigrants

Added to the Homepage
http://www.alipac.us/article-6610--0-0.html

This makes me so mad!

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

It must also be remembered that many immigrants are more educated. In fact, 43.2 percent (97,000) of newly arrived immigrants who took a job in Texas had at least some college.

Yea, THANKS TO AMERICAN TAXPAYERS!!!

I hope the other candidates slam Perry's azz on this tonight!

In the article it states that these jobs are going to legal and illegal immigrants. You can bet your bottom dollar, the majority of the jobs are going to illegals.

I wasn't going to vote for Perry before this, but now I hope those that are drooling all over him, now will wake up quick. There is no doubt in my mind this clown will be a amnesty president.

Originally Posted by imblest

This makes me so mad!

Visit Texas and you would not have been surprised; it was bad when Bush was the gov. It is much worse now. I noticed a big jump right before 2000 and it is so different from the early 90's that you could not ignore the change. Maybe in the 80's and perhaps earlier many of the ILLEGALS were motivated to find work and support their families and may even to gain Citizenship via another Amnesty but for certain since the 90's most come to take benefits from the Citizen Taxpayers and be involved it drugs and any criminal activies they can, but you know this and I'm getting mad as I write.

Related Thread
CIS Reprt Texas
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-250605-cis.html

"Of jobs created in Texas since 2007, 81 percent were taken by newly arrived immigrant workers (legal and illegal),"

Heard this mentioned on a radio show this morning also.

Sickening!

The fact is there's no real "jobs miracle" in Texas. It's really just an illusion. And how many of those jobs were once held by U. S. citizens? They were fired or let go and replaced by "immigrants."

And this suprises who? We all know that down in Perrytown its all about the buck and about pandering to the voters to stay in office. If it means signing a dream act or encouraging employers to hire illegals or immigrants when LEGAL Americans remain unemployeed then thats what your gonna get from Perry.

I'm really not surprised, Texas is occupied territory.

Border states will always have high numbers with anything related to illegal aliens. How bad is it in other states, that have higher unemployment rates than TX???

You really need to look in the report at Table 2 Native Employment Ranked by Employment Rate 2011.

Strait across the board, California looks like heck of a lot worse than Texas.


Who Benefited from Job Growth In Texas?
A Look at Employment Gains for Immigrants and the Native-Born, 2007 to 2011

By Steven A. Camarota, Ashley Monique Webster
September 2011

http://cis.org/immigrants-filled-most-new-jobs-in-Texas

Even in the states are using E-Verify, it only screens new hires. The fed gov needs to do more I-9 audits! That will put the illegals out of work. The fed gov needs to regulate immigration!!!! Reduce the quotas to reasonable levels and then stick to the quotas!!!!!

Dixie