This news analysis was first published on Sharyl ATTKISSON‘s Free Substack

• The presence of a large, vulnerable labor pool suppresses wages across the board, making it harder for Americans and other legal workers to earn a living wage.

It’s like demanding a clean river while dumping sludge upstream.

This is the kind of mental gymnastics some people perform when they champion both illegal immigration (or lax enforcement) and higher minimum wages.

These competing positions, often held by the same people, clash in ways that undermine their stated goals of fairness and compassion.

Let’s dig into why this combo is like trying to mix oil and water—and what the economy might look like if we stopped relying on undocumented labor to keep prices artificially low.

Read on for details.

At first glance, supporting open borders (or at least turning a blind eye to illegal immigration) and pushing for higher wages may seem like a double dose of kindness.

“Let people in, give them a chance at a better life, and make sure everyone earns a living wage”—sounds like a progressive dream.

But here’s the rub: flooding the labor market with millions of undocumented workers directly undermines the push for higher wages. It’s basic supply and demand.

When you have an abundant supply of workers willing to take low-paying jobs—often under the table, with no labor protections—wages stagnate or plummet.

Employers, especially in industries like hospitality, agriculture, construction, and domestic work, have little incentive to pay more when they can hire illegal workers for less.

Take the example of a hotel in a bustling city. The cleaning staff, many of whom may be in the US illegally, are paid minimum wage or sometimes less—even way less, in cash, with no benefits or job security. Why? Because they’re vulnerable. They can’t complain to authorities or labor boards without risking deportation.

Some employers know this and exploit it, keeping wages low not just for undocumented workers but, as a result, for everyone in those industries.

American workers, who might demand higher pay or better conditions, are priced out.

Meanwhile, the same folks who cheer for open borders also rally for an increased $15 minimum wage or universal basic income, ignoring how their first stance kneecaps the second.

The “Kindness” Facade

The argument for lax border enforcement often hinges on compassion: “These are human beings seeking a better life.”

Fair enough. Many of them are.

But what happens after they cross the border?

Too often, they’re funneled into grueling, low-wage jobs with no protections.

The hotel maid, the nanny, the farmworker working in scorching heat—these can be tough, backbreaking jobs. But for the illegal worker, the pay is often abysmal, below legal minimums. This isn’t kindness; it’s exploitation dressed up as charity.

By allowing millions of undocumented workers to fill these roles, we’re not just exploiting them—we’re also devaluing the labor of American workers.

If employers can hire someone desperate enough to work for $5 an hour, why would they pay $15 to a citizen who can demand better?

The presence of a large, vulnerable labor pool suppresses wages across the board, making it harder for Americans to earn a living wage.

Also, turning a blind eye to some businesses that exploit illegal laborers has the effect of punishing competitors who follow the law, providing the former an unfair and unlawful advantage. This makes it more difficult for honest businesses to compete, and results in encouraging them to also break the law and exploit the illegal labor force.

So, when someone says, “Raise the minimum wage!” while also shrugging off border enforcement, they’re essentially saying, “Pay American workers more, but feel free to pay illegal workers less.”

It’s a contradiction that hurts both the exploited immigrant and the American worker.

What If There Were No Illegal Workers?

Now, let’s play out the thought experiment: what happens there were no illegal workers? You’ve long heard politicians on both sides of the aisle and others insist it’s just not possible for the American economy to function without them.

Would the economy collapse? Would your morning coffee cost $20?

Not quite.

Many analysts agree the nation wouldn’t implode—it would adjust, as markets always do.

Without a steady supply of cheap, exploitable labor, some employers would face a choice: pay more to attract legal workers (and cut profits or increase prices), automate, or close.

In industries like agriculture, we’d likely see a mix. For example, in the absence of illegal farmworkers, growers might invest in mechanized harvesting equipment (already happening in places like California’s wine country). Some might offer competitive wages to attract American workers or legal immigrants.

In 2011, when Georgia cracked down on undocumented labor, some farmers struggled to find workers, but they adapted—some raised wages, others shifted to less labor-intensive crops.

In hospitality, we might pay more for a hotel room if cleaning staff earned legal wages. Some restaurants might charge an extra buck for your burger if kitchen workers aren’t being paid under the table. Construction costs could rise, making new homes pricier. A 2018 study from the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that a significant reduction in low-skilled immigrant labor could lead to wage increases of 2-4% for native-born workers in those sectors.

So some prices might creep up, but so would purchasing power for the working-class Americans who would be earning more. Higher wages could draw more Americans back into these industries. Right now, many avoid jobs because they don’t believe pay justifies the effort. If employers had to compete for legal workers, they’d have to offer better wages and conditions.

This isn’t speculation—it’s already happened in tight labor markets. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when unemployment was low and labor was scarce, fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Wendy’s raised wages and offered signing bonuses to attract workers.

The Selfishness of the Status Quo

Maintaining the status quo—lax enforcement of illegal workers and low wages—benefits consumers and employers at the expense of both legal and illegal workers.

We get cheap produce, nannies, and budget hotel stays because an illegal labor force is propping up the system with their sweat and vulnerability.

A society that truly values fairness would prioritize a system where all workers are legal, and paid what the market says their labor is worth. That means enforcing immigration laws to reduce the oversupply of vulnerable workers, cracking down on employers who exploit undocumented labor, and letting the market set wages.

More importantly, this shift would be kinder—to all. Illegal immigrants wouldn’t be trapped in exploitative jobs, afraid to speak up. More American workers would have a fairer shot at decent wages. And consumers? We’d adjust to slightly higher prices, just as we’ve adjusted to inflation, supply chain hiccups, and every other economic shift.

The idea that we need millions of undocumented workers to keep the economy humming is peddled by those who profit from cheap labor.

The bottom line is we can’t have it both ways. Those who say they want higher wages can’t logically support a system that floods the labor market with vulnerable workers who suppress pay for everyone.

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