Immigrants an important part of the American economy, research shows

Immigration is a deeply divisive issue and yet, studies and research show immigrants play a key role in American society.

This week, the vice president of the Dallas Federal Reserve and a New York sociology professor discussed research around immigrants.

More than just consumers, immigrants are found to be big drivers of the economy.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott criticized President Joe Biden's immigration policies on Wednesday.

"Joe Biden deserted his duty on his first day in office. He gutted President Trump's policies and the result has been catastrophic," said Abbott.

Nancy Foner, a professor at Hunter College in New York, says the broader immigration story needs to be told.

"I think one message would be that immigrants are good for America. I think that's an important one and, as in the past, immigrants and their descendants are integrating into the U.S. and I think that's really an important message," she said.

While immigrants make up 15 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 19 percent of the workforce.

"Because they don't speak English, because they don't have licensing requirements, because they don't have connections into the mainstream economy for a variety of reasons they are in lower status jobs, and they're willing to do that, and they're willing to work hard in them. Many that American-born workers shun," said Pia Orrenius, Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.