OKPOLICY.ORG
Like all Oklahomans, immigrants face ever-rising costs of living. Yet wages have not kept pace, and unique challenges around immigration status often compound the struggle of making ends meet – all the more difficult for low-wage residents earning at or near the minimum wage. Next year, however, voters will have the opportunity to change that. State Question 832 would raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage to $15 an hour for all residents and ensure it does not lose its purchasing power by tying it to inflation. Raising the minimum wage is a crucial step in helping all workers, including immigrants, build stability and security.
Oklahoma’s immigrant low-wage workers are vital to Oklahoma
From country of origin to educational background, immigrants in Oklahoma are diverse and multifaceted. They are part of our communities, enrich our culture, and drive our economy forward. Nationally, immigrants are responsible for $3.3 trillion of the United States’ economic output and fill various high-skilled industries as physicians, surgeons, computer software engineers, and scientists. Additionally, immigrants show higher rates of economic mobility across generations than U.S.-born peers.
At the same time, however, immigrants disproportionately work in low-wage jobs – those paying less than two-thirds of the median hourly wage. In Oklahoma, that would mean any worker earning less than $13.29 – two-thirds of the state’s median hourly wage of $19.94 – and includes workers in food service, childcare, home health, and more. Immigrants are overrepresented in these low-wage industries, which are essential jobs that all Oklahomans rely on. It is indefensible that people who keep our state running are still paid wages that are far too low to support themselves and their families.
SQ 832 can bolster the workforce and the economy
Immigrants – both lawfully residing and undocumented – make up about eight percent of the labor force in Oklahoma and nine percent of essential workers. Despite the valuable services immigrants provide to our state, one in four immigrants in Oklahoma makes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or less than $51,640 for a family of three. Raising the minimum wage would lift income for immigrants and U.S.-born low-wage workers alike, giving our labor force the economic stability it needs to remain productive and strengthen our economy. In practical terms, this means hard-working Oklahomans will have more money in their pockets for groceries, medical visits, and unexpected emergencies.
In addition to directly benefiting individuals, SQ 832 would also help small businesses. Higher wages mean more spending power, which flows back into the local economy and helps small businesses cover the cost of paying higher wages. Furthermore, a review of research finds that raising the minimum wage floor has little to no effect on job losses, while reducing employee turnover and increasing productivity. With more than one in ten immigrants serving as entrepreneurs, it is clear that raising the minimum wage is a win for both business owners and workers.
SQ 832 can increase economic stability for immigrant families
While SQ 832 will have undeniable positive effects on the economy, it is important to remember the individuals and their families who will benefit from raising the minimum wage. When families have higher incomes, parents can focus on their children and be more responsive, babies are born at healthier birth weights, and children perform better academically and in the job market. These benefits extend to all Oklahomans, but they are especially critical for immigrants, who are overrepresented in low-wage jobs and face unique barriers due to the United States’ immigration system.
During difficult times, citizens can turn to the social safety net, which includes programs like SNAP and Medicaid. These programs have been proven to reduce poverty significantly. But many immigrants, despite paying billions into these systems, are barred from accessing the safety net programs they fund. Additionally, past attacks on immigrants’ ability to adjust immigration status have resulted in a “chilling effect” where immigrants avoid accessing public programs, even if they do qualify for them.
When a job is a family’s only lifeline – and when they are barred from basic safety net programs available to non-immigrants – it is all the more important to ensure that jobs pay enough to live on. Raising the minimum wage to $15 and tying it to inflation will help Oklahoma immigrant workers support their families.
Raising the minimum wage will support Oklahoma immigrant workers in vital industries
With housing, groceries, and other essential needs reaching record high prices – and with Oklahoma’s consistently high poverty rate – it is clear that Oklahoma workers are long overdue for a minimum wage increase. Immigrants, just like all Oklahomans, drive the economy and help our communities thrive. SQ 832 would ensure that the wages of all workers in these vital industries continue to rise to face the pressure of inflation. After 15 years of a stagnant minimum wage, Oklahomans finally have the opportunity to vote on SQ 832 and guarantee that the minimum wage meets families’ most basic needs.
