GOP Immigration Debacle pushes Construction costs up, "causing builders to focus on High-End...Higher Profit" Construction.

The Republican stall tactic on immigration reform is focused mostly on one obscure goal; make the border “more secure,” whatever that means. And because no one knows, nothing will happen.

Even worse, the right wing is making immigration sound worse than it really is. Not surprisingly, under Obama (and because of the job purging free market disaster known as the Great Recession), the flow across the border has declined:

1. The number of undocumented workers in the U.S. has remained flat for more than five years.

2. The undocumented Mexican immigrant population is now 20 percent smaller than it was in 2007.

Developing policy and solving problems are not high on the GOP’s to-do list, because it costs money, the kind of money they want to giveaway in tax cuts. Which brings me to...

...The End of Affordable Housing? Housing is a huge part of the U.S. economy, but Republican efforts to wall off the border ignores immigration's impact on the cost housing and the cost of construction labor. While more Americans will find work in construction, fewer homes will be built that serve lower and middle class families. Policy should be written to protect U.S. and foreign labor, but don't hold your breath. RISmedia:

According to data from Pew Hispanic Center and the most recent Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey:

More than two-thirds of those surveyed said a slowdown in immigration will drive up construction labor costs. 40 percent said higher labor costs would cause builders to focus on high-end construction, which has a higher profit margin.

This is one domino falling out of many, that will be ignored and forgotten.