Introduction 

Undocumented immigrants struggle to assimilate in the United States due to their illegal immigration status as well as the persistent anti-immigration policies and rhetoric that foster a hostile setting for them and their families. Despite their immigration status, undocumented immigrants significantly shape and influence America’s socioeconomic landscape due to their persistent social mobility that allows them to integrate into local neighborhoods and communities as well as the labor market. Undocumented immigrants contribute to the U.S. economy and society by working in critical industries, paying taxes, and improving the country’s life expectancy. 

Working in Critical Industries 

Undocumented immigrants significantly contribute to the U.S. economy by working in critical industries and sectors including agriculture, construction, hospitality and tourism, healthcare, transportation, apparel manufacturing, and personal care. Undocumented immigrants are a core component of America’s flourishing and diverse labor market. These immigrants constitute 11.5%, 6.7%, and 3.4% of the agriculture, construction, hospitality and tourism workforce, respectively (New American Economy Research Fund), in addition to comprising over 43%, 54%, and 40% of workers in the personal care, transportation, and apparel manufacturing industries (Semotiuk). These immigrants also work in the healthcare industry as home health aides and medical interpreters to provide patients with in-person care. There is an over-representation of undocumented immigrants in in-person care since such patients are high-risk and need continuous assistance.  

Undocumented immigrants sustain the food supply in the United States by undertaking labor-intensive work that includes meat processing, yield sorting, grading, crop production, and harvesting. These immigrants also prepare and serve food in the hospitality industry. Most of the workers in several of the U.S. states that maintain America’s food supply are undocumented immigrants. For example, undocumented immigrants comprise 69% of agricultural laborers in California, 66% of meat processing employees in Nebraska, and 70% of seafood processing workers in Alaska (Joint Economic Committee 2). Undocumented immigrants are helping the United States fill the growing labor gap due to an aging workforce (Orrenius et al. 4). These immigrants are filling the gap since they are usually of prime employment age and have higher workforce engagement rates. 

Paying Taxes 

Undocumented immigrants contribute to the American economy by paying state, local, and federal taxes. These immigrants pay taxes from household income, Social Security contributions, the Medicare Trust Fund, expenditures on services, consumer products, and housing. Undocumented immigrants’ tax remittance varies depending on an individual’s country of origin. For instance, undocumented Mexican immigrants, who earned over $92 billion in household wages in 2019, paid local, state, and federal taxes of approximately $9.8 billion (New American Economy Research Fund). The employers of undocumented Mexican immigrants also contributed $2.8 billion to the Medicare Trust Fund and $11.7 billion to Social Security (New American Economy Research Fund). In short, these immigrants are significant tax contributors due to their high workforce engagement rate in the American economy. 

Undocumented immigrants from other countries also contribute to the U.S. economy by paying federal income taxes as well as local and state taxes. Most undocumented immigrants primarily originate from El Salvador, Guatemala, India, and Honduras. For example, in 2019, undocumented immigrants from Honduras, Guatemala, India, and El Salvador paid $434, $586, $1,965, and $782 in federal income taxes each (New American Economy Research Fund). A study in various large U.S. cities found that supporting qualified immigrants’ naturalization raises their homeownership and remuneration rates and increases tax proceeds in their areas of residence (Hamad 1). Many undocumented immigrants often work in businesses owned by documented immigrants. Undocumented immigrants can pay taxes despite working in low-paying jobs.

Improving the United States’ Life Expectancy 

Undocumented immigrants contribute to American society by improving the country’s life expectancy. These immigrants improve America’s life expectancy due to their low mortality and high birth rates. Although undocumented immigrants are less likely to utilize sufficient prenatal care and have more delivery and labor complications than other mothers, estimates indicate one out of every sixteen births in the United States is from a mother who’s an undocumented immigrant (Miller et al. 1). Undocumented immigrants also enjoy significant health advantages over native-born Americans, leading to lower mortality rates (Hendi and Ho 1). The low mortality rate of undocumented immigrants in the United States stems from their lower rates of cigarette smoking, respiratory ailments, and circulatory and heart disease. 

Age is a fundamental aspect that contributes to and improves a country’s life expectancy. Although mortality declines at any age lead to life expectancy improvements, mortality declines at the prime ages of twenty-five to sixty-four are especially vital because that age group contributes to demographic growth via childbearing, tax revenues, and workforce productivity (Hendi and Ho 4). Undocumented immigrants raise the United States life expectancy rate by decreasing mortality among individuals in the working and prime adult age groups. These immigrants help enhance the life expectancy rate of prime-age adults. In this vulnerable age group, the United States is losing many people because of drug overdoses, adverse health conditions, and risky lifestyle choices. 

Conclusion 

Undocumented immigrants contribute to the U.S. economy by working in the transportation, healthcare, hospitality, tourism, construction, apparel manufacturing, personal care, and agriculture sectors. They help the U.S. fill the labor gap that’s rising due to the country’s aging workforce. Undocumented immigrants also contribute to America’s economy by paying income taxes, contributing to Social Security, purchasing consumer products and services, and contributing to the Medicare Trust Fund. Moreover, undocumented immigrants contribute to U.S. society by enhancing the country’s life expectancy because of their high birth and low mortality rates.

Works Cited

Hamad, Rita. “Immigrants to the United States Contribute to Society: Here are 3 Ways to Support Their Transition.” Health Affairs Scholar 2.3, 2024. doi: 10.1093/haschl/qxae019

Hendi, Arun S., and Jessica Y. Ho. “Immigration and Improvements in American Life Expectancy.” SSM-Population Health 15, 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100914

Joint Economic Committee. “Immigrants are Vital to the U.S. Economy.” n.d. https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/6750b0f0-c851-4fee-9619-295582fd44e8/immigrants-are-vital-to-the-us-economy-final.pdf  Accessed 11 March 2025.   

Miller, Sarah, Laura Wherry, and Gloria Aldana. “Covering Undocumented Immigrants: The Effects of a Large-Scale Prenatal Care Intervention.” National Bureau of Economic Research, No w30299, 2022. doi: 10.3386/w30299

New American Economy Research Fund. “Examining the Economic Contributions of Undocumented Immigrants By Country of Origin.” 8 March 2021, https://research.newamericaneconomy.org/report/contributions-of-undocumented-immigrants-by-country/  Accessed 11 March 2025. 

Orrenius, Pia M., Madeline Zavodny, and Stephanie Gullo. “How Does Immigration Fit into the Future of the US Labor Market?” IZA Discussion Papers, No. 13013, 2020. https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/216325

Semotiuk, Andy J. “New Report Details Huge Contribution Immigrants are Making to America.” 15 November 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyjsemotiuk/2023/11/15/new-report-details-huge-contribution-immigrants-are-making-to-america/  Accessed 11 March 2025.