Letter: Immigrants’ Positive Economic Contributions
This letter appears in the Dec. 19 & 26 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.
Immigrants’ Positive Economic Contributions
America was founded on the basis of open immigration: If you came, you were in. Even the pilgrims were a wretched group of scrappy immigrant refugees.
So, the standard American storyline is pretty similar: Most of us are not really from around here.
An immigrant who comes to the United States of America — whether with or without official U.S. government permission to enter — is not an invader. Immigrants boost our economy, create jobs and they bring their needs, too. That creates job opportunities. Immigration is a free society moving.
Immigration controls require socialist central planning. Government officials determine how many immigrants shall be permitted to come into the country, what their qualifications shall be, and so on. Racial classification surely dates from some eugenic concern.
In many ways, the trucking industry is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy — 99.999% of what people have has been on a truck.
Today, public debate focuses on whether the United States can “afford” immigrants. But you know what? By arguing that immigrants are coming here only to jump on the tax-funded gravy train, you are conflating the definition of immigration with the end result of the welfare state.
The proliferation of the welfare state is turning immigrants from friends to enemies in America. Why blame immigrants for problems that spring from the existence of our own government’s misguided welfare programs?
Immigrant truck drivers make positive economic contributions. Everybody knows this.
So, where do we begin? The bottom line is simple: Open the borders — all of them.
Kent Lalley
Treasurer
Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, Highland Chapter
Truck Sales Professional
Legacy Truck Centers Inc.
Somerset, Pennsylvania
