Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, said the increase in foreign-born workers is "taking pressure off the economy."
The growth in foreign-born workers comes amid a contentious immigration policy debate in the U.S.
Immigrants' share of the labor force has increased since 1996, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics began collecting such data.
A growing population and labor force are key components of a healthy economy and the nation's ability to pay its bills, economists said.
In other words, the economy is both absorbing immigrants and generating job opportunities for U.S.-born workers, the institute said.
Persons:
Mark Zandi, it's, Alejandro Mayorkas, John Moore, Muzaffar Chishti, Jack Malde, Qian Weizhong, Steven Camarota, Camarota, Paul Ratje, Eric Thayer, Malde, EPI, Zandi, There's, Luis Alvarez
Organizations:
U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Moody's, Republicans, U.S, Department of Homeland, U.S . Border Patrol, U.S . Department of Homeland, Getty, Migration Policy Institute, CNBC, Foreign, U.S . Immigrants, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pew Research Center, Social Security, Congressional, Office, Center, Immigration, . Border Patrol, Getty Images, Federal Reserve Bank of San, Center for Immigration Studies, Afp, Bloomberg, Economic Policy Institute, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Digitalvision
Locations:
U.S, Mexico, Eagle Pass , Texas, San Diego , California, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Paso, Ciudad Juarez , Mexico, Los Angeles