Behind the Poll

The second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin, argues that the best way to solve the U.S. labor shortage is to offer illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.

This would cost taxpayers millions of dollars in the form of government assistance programs, but Durbin justifies the cost, saying, “We need the workers.”

Republicans and other critics of this plan argue that the labor shortage has been caused by the expansion of jobless benefits during the pandemic.

Many people have collected more money staying home and not working than if they’d gone back to work in retail and food service. Is it any wonder there’s a labor shortage?