Immigrants Contribute $230B Yearly to L.A. County Economy, Says USC Study

By Dana Bartholomew, Staff Writer06/20/2012 - 5:39 PM PDT

Immigrants in Los Angeles County contribute $230 billion each year to the economy, according to a report released Wednesday.

The county's 3.4 million immigrants -- 55 percent of whom are undocumented -- were also more likely to be self-employed than native born workers, the report said.

"We're seeing immigrants assume an increasingly critical role in California's economy," said Manuel Pastor, director of the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at the University of Southern California and co-author of the study.

"Their substantial contributions as workers and consumers help fuel the state's economy and (are) spread throughout many California regions."

Immigrants in California make up a quarter of the state's 38 million population, but contribute a third of the labor force. Of these, 45 percent are U.S. citizens.

Each year, they contribute $600 billion to the state economy, or a third of the state's Gross Domestic Product.

Immigrants comprise 27 percent of total household income, make up 38 percent of all residents with doctorate degrees and by 2015 are expected to represent as much as 35 percent of voters, according to the report.

The report, "Looking Forward: Immigrant Contributions to the Golden State," is available at caimmigrant.org/contributions.html .

Immigrants and their children make up 53 percent of the population of Los Angeles County. Of all children in the region, 59 percent have at least one immigrant parent.

They also comprise 45 percent of the workforce, especially in agriculture, repair and personal services and manufacturing.

Roughly three out of four workers in grounds cleaning and maintenance, farming fishing and forestry, production and construction are immigrants.

"The report shows that immigrant workers are the backbone of key industries in California," said Reshma Shamasunder, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, the other co-author.

"The story of California is one of successes won through hard work."

The downside is the cost of immigrants here illegally - which cost Los Angeles County taxpayers $1.6 billion a year, according to county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

Illegal immigrants cost the county $550 million for public safety and nearly $500 million for healthcare each year, according to a report released by the supervisor last month.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services projected welfare payments to illegal immigrant parents this year would exceed $625 million.

dana.bartholomew@dailynews.com

818-713-3730

"Mitt has made some speeches promoting changes that would be cataclysmic to the poor. So, at least there is that corroborating evidence as well."

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Moksha, You really are good. That statement above is one of the most say nothing political statements I have read to date on this site. You were well trained.

A little more on agency:

My wife and I just got back from lunch at a restaurant where a good many of the men were wearing their hats inside. On the way home 3 of the un-signaled intersections we were stopped at were blocked by stopped cars preventing others from crossing the intersection. Very illegal.  Twice we watched cars pull up and block people, who were there first, from being able to enter the lane. I do find it sad that there is so much simple minded discourtesy around us today.

In thinking again about agency that we have been given here, it seems to me that we will have to answer for even the easy little things that try us. Recognizing that our time here is a test that is not supposed to be easy, or it would not be a test. Much of our society these days seems to be failing even a simple politeness test.

OK now that is off my mind I will shut up for a while.

Jesse F.

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"The test of good manners is being able to bear with bad ones patiently." 
 --- Rabbi Shlomo ibn-Gavriel