Lorena Rivas presents labor data that contradicts the stereotype of immigrant workers as low-skill. Immigrants make up 18% of the U.S. workforce but represent 44% of computer hardware engineers, 34% of computer scientists, and 29% of physicians. Among STEM workers, 49% of immigrants hold advanced degrees versus 22% of native-born workers.
Picture the average immigrant worker. Does your picture match the data? Probably not. Immigrants make up 18% of the U.S. workforce overall, but 44% are computer hardware engineers, 34% are computer and information research scientists, and 29% are physicians. Among STEM workers specifically, immigrants are more likely than native-born workers to hold an advanced degree— 49% compared to 22%. The stereotype says low-skilled. The data says doctors, scientists, engineers disproportionately. Immigrants aren't filling one kind of job. They're filling every kind, including the ones keeping hospitals and labs running.
