Wages of America's middle class have dropped below 1970s levels as immigration has surged 325 percent, according to a new congressional report that questions claims that native Americans are economically helped by greater immigration.

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service report studied immigration and middle class income from 1945-2013 and found that as immigration slowed between 1945 and 1970, American incomes increased.

RELATED: Census: Record 51 million immigrants in 8 years, will account for 82% of U.S. growth

But when immigration expanded, the incomes of the bottom 90 percent of Americans went flat and then dropped beginning in 2000.

In the report to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the CRS reported that the foreign-born population of the United States surged 324.5 percent, from 9,740,000 to 41,348,066, from 1970 to 2013.

Congressional Research Service

And as that happened, incomes of the bottom 90 percent dropped 7.9 percent in 2013 dollars, from an average of $33,621 to $30,980.

RELATED: Poll: No, Obama doesn't have authority to grant amnesty

The report could throw cold water on congressional efforts to expand immigration for tech and other jobs. One bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch and backed by presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio would boost guest worker levels and remove any cap on green cards for certain foreign graduates of American colleges and universities.

AP Photo

While the CRS did not offer any opinion on immigration and wages, the report's questions and answer section provided details on the link between higher immigration and lower middle class wages.

RELATED: Expert: Obama's amnesty 'profoundly unfair' to 4 million legal immigrants, a new high

1. From 1945-1970, what was the net change in the foreign-born population, expressed both as a percentage and numerically?

Answer - The foreign-born population in the United States diminished from 10,971,146 in 1945 to 9,740,000 in 1970, a decline of 1,231,146 persons, representing a percentage decline of 11.2% over this 25 year period.

2. From 1945-1970, how did overall wages change for the bottom 90% of earners?

Answer - The reported income of the bottom 90% of tax filers in the United States increased from an average of $18,418 in 1945 to $33,621 in 1970 for an aggregate change of $15,202 or a percent increase of 82.5% over this 25 year period.

3. From 1945-1970, what was the net change in the share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution?

Answer - The share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution increased from 67.4% in 1945 to 68.5% in 1970, an absolute increase of 1.1 percentage points over this 25 year period.

4. From 1970-present, what was the net change in the foreign-born population, expressed both as a percentage and numerically?

Answer - Between 1970 and 2013, the estimated foreign-born population in the United States increased from 9,740,000 to 41,348,066, respectively, an increase of 31,608,066 persons, representing a percentage increase of 324.5% over this 43 year period.

5. From 1970-present, how did overall wages change for the bottom 90% of earners?

Answer - The reported income of the bottom 90% of tax filers in the United States decreased from an average of $33,621 in 1970 to $30,980 in 2013 for an aggregate decline of $2,641 or a percent decline of 7.9% over this 43 year period.

6. From 1970-present, what was the net change in the share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution?

Answer - The share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution declined from 68.5% in 1970 to 53.0% in 2013, an absolute decline of 15.5 percentage points over this 43 year period.

RELATED: Applications for H-1B tech visas reach record levels

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.





<a href="http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/2063101/crs.pdf">Crs (PDF)</a><br /> <a href="http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/2063101/crs.txt">Crs (Text)</a>

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