Legalizing Undocumented Immigrants: An Essential Tool in Fighting Poverty

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Some twelve million undocumented immigrants live in the United States, many of them well integrated into the U.S. economy. Research and experience teach that legalizing undocumented immigrants would exponentially reduce poverty in immigrant communities. But legalization would also benefit low-income nonimmigrant communities and workers. Absent legalization, the issue of “illegal immigration” so easily lends itself to wedge politics and impedes antipoverty efforts.

By Josh Bernstein and Jonathan Blazer From November-December 2008 Clearinghouse Review