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But as the slew of news stories focusing on the economy suggest, what is primarily driving the immigration outflow is the recession. In good economic times, immigrants pour into the United States; at other times, the influx slows or reverses. It has ever been thus, and – barring the implementation of a border and workplace crackdown more ruthless than anything most Americans would tolerate – ever will be…

Research published by the Cato Institute last month debunks the notion that preventing illegal immigrants from entering or working in the United States is good for the economy. “Increased enforcement and reduced low-skill immigration have a significant negative impact on the income of US households,’’ economists Peter Dixon and Maureen Rimmer write. Whatever savings might be achieved in public expenditures “would be more than offset by losses in economic output and job opportunities for more-skilled American workers.’’

Legalizing low-skilled immigrants, on the other hand, expands the US economy and leads to the creation of new higher-skilled jobs. Result: “significant income gains for American workers and households’’ – gains the authors estimate at $180 billion a year.