Several big states with large populations of illegal immigrants will most likely reap the biggest economic benefits if comprehensive reform legislation becomes law, a new study shows.
An analysis of each state in the country shows that certain states would benefit more from certain immigration provisions than others,
The Wall Street Journal reports.
For instance, in California, Texas, and Florida, more immigrants and businesses would most likely take advantage of policy changes, according to the study by the nonpartisan Regional Economic Models Inc., a private forecasting firm.
Those states are likely to see huge economic gains, whereas changes to immigration laws would have a more muted economic effect in less-populous states, the Journal reports.
Legalizing immigrants, for example, would add fewer than 1,000 jobs each in South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming — giving those states only a slight economic boost, the study projected.
"These proposals are about growing the economic pie, to a large extent," Fred Treyz, Regional Economic Models' chief executive, told the Journal.
Last month, the Senate passed a sweeping immigration overhaul bill, sending it to the House.
The GOP-controlled lower chamber, however, has said it will not consider the Senate’s bill, choosing instead to take a step-by-step approach to addressing various immigration issues, including tightened border security and a pathway to citizenship.
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