Migration aids the growth of New York’s Democratic government, according to state Governor Kathy Hochul.
“Capitalism continues to attract immigrants, and both the city and the state rely heavily on immigration,” Hochul mentioned during a planned meeting at a diner with Politico’s pro-migration editor. Hochul responded:
Absolutely, and following the [Trump] clampdown on immigration, we need a sensible immigration plan because our economy absolutely needs the labor, the energy, and the diversity that immigrants bring, which New York exemplifies.
Hochul did not make a clear distinction between legal and illegal immigration while downplaying the role of citizens:
I want this to be a destination for talent … People need to come here and achieve success. Why? Because they help generate the revenue that allows me to support universal childcare, education, development of more housing, and job creation.
While Hochul’s argument highlights the advantages for progressives and the larger government faction, it overlooks the costs faced by citizens.
These costs can encompass reduced wages, less workplace investment, and increased housing costs. Additionally, they can lead to overwhelming government intervention, rising government debt, struggling schools, overcrowded hospitals, vandalism, discordant social diversity, and a decrease in citizens’ political influence.
These mounting costs were significant factors in the election of Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2024.
However, government funding directed toward migrants—often through various federal and state anti-poverty initiatives—bolsters the Democratic Party’s political machinery.
Migratory funding also cultivates a base of appreciative clients, volunteers for election campaigns, and vital financial supporters. These partisan advantages are evident in states like New York and Minnesota, where a significant influx of federal funds supports Democrat-led political operations.
“It’s beneficial for the Democratic machine politically,” stated Steven Camarota, research director at the Center for Immigration Studies. “It both boosts votes, and it restructures society in ways that make the democratic narrative more sympathetically viewed, irrespective of fiscal considerations,” he contended.
Moreover, government spending on migration can also favor businesses, as it enables CEOs to pay lower wages to both migrants and American workers.
The support from government for low-wage migrant labor—typically sourced through staffing agencies—creates losses for citizens and advantages for businesses, noted migration consultant Jay Palmer.
A manager at [a slaughterhouse] in Alabama, which employs thousands of people across the state, actually told me that he would prefer to hire foreign workers — documented or undocumented — due to the low wages. He can hire undocumented foreign workers through staffing agencies — like Haitians, Somalis, Hispanics — because their low wages allow him to hire two and a half migrants for one American.
The business-focused Cato Institute supports Hochul’s migration stance, even while claiming to advocate for small-government principles. They stated on October 23: “Illegal immigrants … contribute more in taxes than they receive in benefits.” Cato also noted:
Mass deportations would not only increase national debt through spending on Immigration and Customs Enforcement but also diminish tax revenues … mass deportation would likely be financially impractical.
The limited advantages of migration may clarify why many GOP politicians support it.
“When critics say I’m merely aiding big businesses in securing low-wage labor, I respond: It’s not just about big business. It extends beyond that — it involves agriculture, construction, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and more,” Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) articulated during a press conference in April. She continued:
Think about it—farmers and those in the dairy industry. We all enjoy milk, right? Well, there are currently 150,000 job openings in agriculture … as well as in manufacturing! I’m not personally acquainted with anyone in manufacturing, but I know the National Association of Manufacturers recently held a press conference supporting [the] Dignidad [bill] … It encompasses agriculture, construction, hospitality [industries].
“I’ve spoken with numerous employers in Omaha, and they’re struggling to find workers,” retiring House Rep. Don Bacon (R-NB) remarked at Salazar’s press gathering:
You have a minority that opposes amnesty, and they’re quite vocal … they abhor immigration. A party that existed back in the 1850s called the Know Nothing Party would fit right in with them. The reality is they ignore a crucial point. Without immigration, we face a 1.7 birth rate [per woman]. This leads to a declining workforce and an aging demographic … hindering company growth. That’s detrimental for America.
In his view, less migration “contradicts basic economic principles.”
Meanwhile, American wages are reportedly on the rise amid Trump’s low-migration, high-tech economic approach.
