If immigrants are unskilled and there isn't work for them to do (which is not the case), then the solution is to train them into skilled labor we need. Ignorin

If immigrants are unskilled and there isn't work for them to do (which is not the case), then the solution is to train them into skilled labor we need. Ignoring xenophobia based justifications against immigration, the only reason why the right wing has a major push against immigration is because unskilled illegal immigrant labor is better for businesses than unskilled legal immigrant labor. Illegal immigrants can be paid below minimum wage and without proper tax or benefits contributions (forcing the immigrant to bare the company's tax cost if they want to actually be squared away with the IRS). Illegal immigrants also don't know their rights and/or are afraid of reporting issues to the DOL or OSHA out of fear of deportation (despite deportation protections for whistleblower immigrants). Illegal immigrants are also less likely to unionize because if they "make trouble" the company can just threaten to report them to ICE. All in all illegal immigration is an exploitative relationship that overwhelmingly benefits the people and companies that most aggressively rally against it. If you eliminate this exploitative arrangement and provide an easy safe path for immigrants to engage with the labor market, most of this lowering of effective wealth that occurs for workers goes away. > this is a minor effect compared to a housing policy that assumes no immigration Given that unskilled immigrant labor is predominantly seasonal migrant labor, this really isn't as much of an issue as you'd assume. And the solution to this is again opening up the legal immigration path and adjusting policy decisions to reflect that. Overwhelmingly the costs associated with immigration are costs associated with illegal immigration and they are predominantly self-inflicted in an attempt to optimize profits for the capital owning class.