Having illegal immigrants in the US probably is a net positive for the economy, though its impossible to know specific numbers. They pay sales taxes, pay in to social security and lower the cost of virtually all goods and services in the USA allowing more re-investment into businesses and discretionary income. Where they adversely affect the system is in the healthcare arena as they flood emergency rooms, educational facilities and other social services. My primary concern is opportunity cost of having these people here as opposed to allowing highly trained international students refuge that bring innovation and bring up our standard of living. I think its a shame that high quality students must go abroad for graduate school or must leave after their education. The fear is that the next Iphone isn't invented in the USA, which reduces our GDP, hence our total productivity and the lifestyle we enjoy here in the USA.
Dude, the highest quality students come HERE for graduate school. Many of these people have to leave after they finish their education, but higher education is one of the biggest draws that the USA enjoys today.
My point was that many leave afterwards as we're fortunate to have the best higher education in the world. Many foreign students that did undergraduate work here and worked find its easier to gain permanent citizenship by going abroad for graduate school then re-applying. Some legal loophole some associates of mine have used and thereby went to Europe to pursue higher education (graduate degrees). I'm more concerned with after they complete their education. It is a travesty that these fresh, energetic minds are going back to India or China instead of staying here.
