Financial Times discovers dangers of massive illegal immigration

The Financial Times superficially reports that "LA's hidden economy threatens region". That's their take on the Milken Institute report discussed here in "Liberalism" caused Los Angeles' massive underground economy:

The findings, which added fuel to an already fierce debate about illegal immigration and revived talk about ways to make California more business-friendly, overshadowed the principal conclusion that the existing workforce is ill-equipped to man well-paid knowledge-based industries. So-called "informal" workers are most commonly found in catering, domestic service, the garment trade, construction and gardening. About 60 per cent are non-citizens, although not necessarily undocumented.

Noting the increased diversity and resilience of the economy, the study said Los Angeles had recovered strongly from recession and the loss of aerospace and financial services jobs in the 1990s. "The city also remains polarised between high-end and low-end jobs. It suffers from a workforce that is disproportionately unskilled."

...The city needed to offer better opportunities for immigrants and their children to attain higher educational standards, and generate initiatives such as loan guarantees to improve small businesses' access to capital. Its universities should also be better used to "seed" new businesses and ideas, and vocational training should focus on industries that are stable and offer good pay and growth prospects.

Improved education and training, seen by voters as the state's most urgent political issue, is the main policy platform adopted by Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles mayor.

Once again: take care of illegal immigration, and this problem will take care of itself.

Immigration2005b · Tue, 12/20/2005 - 02:01 · · Importance: 1