Valuing Immigrants

There is an interesting article in todays paper about a UNC study on the revenue generated by immigrants in NC. http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=241527

The North Caorlina Banker's Association commissioned a study which determined that Hispanics brought $9.2 billion dollars into the state economy.

Of course, the study also estimated that about half the Hispanic immigrants were illegal and that they are generating an $61 million dollar net cost to the state government. However, a little math shows that this shortfall is only 6/10 of a percent of their addition to the economy.

One of the truisms of modern economics is that people are now a nation's most vital natural resource. We need to do away with the old thinking that defines immigrants as a drain on resources and start looking at them as a source of wealth and prosperity in which we should be investing.