Congresswoman Lee Touts Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration Reform for California

New Study Finds That Commonsense Reform Will Create Jobs, Spur Growth, Foster Innovation

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee highlighted a new report demonstrating the economic benefits of comprehensive immigration reform to the families, businesses, and communities of California. The study makes clear that commonsense reform will boost job creation, expand the economy, and strengthen the economic security of workers and the middle class.

“Today’s report leaves no doubt: comprehensive immigration reform is good for growth, good for jobs, and a clear victory for the people of California,” Congresswoman Lee said.  “The time is now for reform that strengthens our economy, advances our values of equality and opportunity, and honors our history as a nation of immigrants.”

According to the White House report, comprehensive immigration reform will spur California’s economy and create approximately 77,070 new jobs next year alone.  This legislation would foster innovation and business growth, raise workers’ income, and increase state and local tax revenue.  It would contribute to the housing recovery for California homeowners and bolster the local technology, agriculture, and tourism sectors.

These details come on the heels of another recent study that found immigration reform would be a boon to our nation’s GDP and economy as a whole, while expanding the country’s labor force, producing higher productivity and higher wages, reducing the deficit, and strengthening Social Security.

In June, a bipartisan coalition in the Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform by a vote of 68 to 32.  It’s time for the House to take up its own bill and act to fix our broken immigration system – for the benefit of California’s economy and for the sake of our country’s future.

“The Senate did its part and kept its promise; now, it’s the House’s turn to take action,” Congresswoman Lee added.  “To grow the economy and support our communities, we must enact comprehensive immigration reform that upholds our core principles – to unite families, provide an earned pathway to citizenship, protect our workers, and secure our borders.”

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Follow Barbara Lee on Facebook and Twitter at @RepBarbaraLee. To learn more, visit lee.house.gov.

Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the newly formed Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.