The Impact of Illegal

Immigration

on the Wages and Employment

Opportunities of Black Workers

A Briefing Before

The United States Commission on Civil Rights

Held in Washington, DC

Briefing Report

Letter of Transmittal

The President

The President of the Senate

The Speaker of the House

Sirs and Madam:

The United States Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) is pleased to transmit this report, The Impact ofIllegal Immigration on the Wages and Employment Opportunities of Black

Workers. A panel of experts briefed members of the Commission on April 4, 2008 regarding the

evidence for economic loss and job opportunity costs to black workers attributable to illegal

immigration. The panelists also described non-economic factors contributing to the depression of

black wages and employment rates. Based on that discussion, the Commission developed the

findings and recommendation that are included in this report.

Among its findings, the Commission notes that the illegal workers are estimated to account for as

much as one-third of total immigrants in the United States, and that illegal immigration has

tended to increase the supply of low-skilled, low-wage labor available. The Commission found

also that about six in 10 adult black males have a high school diploma or less, and are

disproportionately employed in the low-skilled labor market in likely competition with

immigrants. Evidence for negative effects of such competition ranged from modest to

significant, according to the experts who testified, but even those experts who viewed the effects

as modest overall found significant effects in occupations such as meatpacking and construction.

The Commission views this topic as complex, and therefore makes no specific recommendations

at this time. The Commission recommends generally, however, that the Bureau of Labor Statistics and

other appropriate governmental agencies collect data concerning the presence of illegal workers

in the U.S. workforce and on the employment and wage rate effects of such workers on low-

skilled and low-wage workers of all races. The Commission believes that such data should be

made available to the public.

Part A, which consists of the body of this report, was approved on January 15, 2010 by Chairman

Reynolds and Commissioners Kirsanow, Heriot, and Taylor. Vice Chair Thernstrom and

Commissioners Gaziano and Melendez abstained. Commissioner Yaki voted against. Vote tallies

for each of the Commissions findings and recommendation, which make up Part B of the report, are noted therein.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 1

Findings and Recommendation .......................................................................................................... 3

Summary of Proceedings ...................................................................................................................... 5

Panel One ................................................................................................................................... 5

Gordon Hanson .................................................................................................................... 5

Gerald Jaynes ........................................................................................................................ 6

Vernon Briggs, Jr. ............................................................................................................................ 7

Harry Holzer ......................................................................................................................... 9

Discussion ............................................................................................................... 10

Panel Two ................................................................................................................................ 15

Julie Hotchkiss .................................................................................................................. 15

Steven Camarota ................................................................................................................ 17

Richard Nadler ............................................................................................................................... 18

Carol Swain ........................................................................................................................ 19

Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 20

Statements .............................................................................................................................................. 24

Gordon H. Hanson................................................................................................................... 24

Gerald D. Jaynes ...................................................................................................................... 27

Vernon M. Briggs, Jr. ....................................................................................................................... 35

Harry J. Holzer......................................................................................................................... 40

Julie Hotchkiss ......................................................................................................................... 44

Steven A. Camarota................................................................................................................. 48

Richard Nadler ........................................................................................................................ 53

Carol M. Swain ........................................................................................................................ 62

Public Comment ..................................................................................................................... 65

Speaker Biographies ................................................................................................................. 66

Gordon Hanson........................................................................................................................ 66

Gerald Jaynes ........................................................................................................................... 66

Vernon M. Briggs, Jr. ........................................................................................................... 66

Impact of Illegal Immigration on the Wages & Employment of Black Workers

Harry J. Holzer .......................................................................................................................... 67

Julie Hotchkiss .......................................................................................................................... 67

Steven A. Camarota .................................................................................................................. 67

Richard Nadler.......................................................................................................................... 68

Carol M. Swain ......................................................................................................................... 68

Statements of Commissioners .................................................................................................. .69

Dissent of Commissioners Michael Yaki and Arlan Melendez .......................................... ..69

Statement and Rebuttal of Commissioner Gail Heriot ......................................................... .69

Rebuttal of Commissioner Peter N. Kirsanow ......................................................................... 71

Rebuttal of Commissioners Michael Yaki and Arlan Melendez ............................................ 79

Executive Summary 1

Executive Summary

In the midst of public debate over immigration reform, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

voted to examine the possible effects of illegal immigration on particularly vulnerable

segments of the U.S. working population, specifically low-skill black workers.1 Since the

April 4, 2008 briefing, the severe economic downturn has affected workers in general, and--if

unemployment rates are any indication--has had an even more severe impact on low-skill

workers.2

To help air important aspects of the debate, the Commission invited experts who have

published and spoken on this issue to weigh the relative effects of factors that influence black

low-skill workers wages, job gains or losses and report their conclusions to the Commission.

The speakers discussed factors that included the economic costs to this particular group,3

fiscal costs to taxpayers of social services for low-skill workers, competing skill levels of

affected workers, the economic gains to the U.S. economy as a whole from flexible, low-cost

labor,4 and what constitutes a fair comparison between legal and illegal workers and their job

opportunities.5

The Commission selected balanced panels that included Harry Holzer, professor of public

policy at Georgetown University; Gordon H. Hanson, professor of economics