Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times had an article on the decline of illegal immigration into the United States. It is unpopular to say this, but this is bad. There is lots of evidence that immigrants, including illegal immigrants, are a net positive to the economy. Here is a recent and typical research piece from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Some of the benefits of immigration are difficult for economists to quantify, including a high propensity to take risks, which can lead to greater innovation and entrepreneurship. Joel Kotkin has as recent piece on exactly this topic.
Most of the United States’ illegal immigration decline is due to a weak economy, but the article also states that California’s share of illegal immigration is down “to 23% from 42% in 1990.” This is a clear, and very disturbing, sign that California is in an endogenous secular decline.