ANOTHER TAKE ON THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM

Immigration's effect on wages called unclear
By Jessica Holzer
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Tucson, Arizona Published: 11.18.2005

WASHINGTON - There is no clear evidence that an influx of immigrant workers hurts the earnings of U.S.-born workers over the long term, the Congressional Budget Office director told a House committee this week.

"It might seem obvious that the arrival of immigrants would lower the wages of native workers," Douglas Holtz-Eakin said Wednesday, but "the ultimate impact is very difficult to quantify."

Low-skilled immigrants from Mexico and Central America make up almost 40 percent of foreign-born workers. On average, workers from Latin America have about nine years of schooling - far less than workers coming from the rest of the world, who have an average of 14 years of schooling, slightly more than native-born workers.