This article explores US labor market changes that would take place as a result of an amnesty that would regularize the status of undocumented workers without changing the total size of the alien workforce. The theoretical analysis suggests that the influence of legal status on market wage rates and on minimum wage enforcement is weak and that to the extent that there is an effect, it depends on particular institutional arrangements. Although data are not adequate for a definite measurement of these effects, those data that are available support this conclusion. It appears that the presence of undocumented as opposed to resident aliens can weaken union organizing efforts.

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Americas economics population Migrants demography developing country Population Dynamics Developing Countries Developed Countries Illegal Migrants Salaries and Fringe Benefits salary and fringe benefit United States income North America health care manpower Health Manpower wage Western Hemisphere Wages Article migration developed country Demographic Factors trade union Emigration and Immigration Economic Factors Transients and Migrants Northern America Human Resources employment Labor Force Labor Unions