Thread: U.S. Policies Should Encourage Immigration

U.S. Policies Should Encourage Immigration
By Kirk A. Carter

Special to the Worcester Business Journal (MA)

08/15/11

Anyone who fails to recognize the important role that immigration plays in the U.S. economy should read a recent report issued by the Partnership for a New American Economy.

That report notes that 41 percent of the Fortune 500 companies had at least one founder who was either a first- or second-generation immigrant. These companies have $4.2 trillion in annual revenues and employ 10.9 million people worldwide. Ninety of the companies were founded by first-generation immigrants, including Google, Yahoo, Ebay, Comcast and Intel.

While the report notes that immigrant entrepreneurs “have been essential to American prosperity,â€

While unemployment in the United States is at historic levels, it is estimated that approximately 5 million jobs cannot be filled because either U.S. workers won’t take these low-skilled/low-wage positions often found in the agricultural, health, retail and service sectors, or don’t possess the high- level skills necessary to perform jobs within the IT, health science and biotech sectors. That is 5 million people who could be buying homes, goods and services, generating tax revenue and paying into the Social Security system.

Absolute BS. Intel, Microsoft, and other high tech employers whine about not getting qualified IT specialists, computer engineers, programmers, etc., and use that as an excuse to bring in Asian and Eurasian immigrants under the woefully mismanaged visa program. These companies deliberately claim US citizens are not 'qualified' in order to hire lower wage expertise. The same for the junior chamber of commerce who advocates for cheap, illegal alien labor for its members.

I have no problem with importing labor for skills/quantities that are truly shortages. All I ask is that the US Gov't confirm these shortfalls before issuing the visas, and that the visas are actually monitored and the visa holders return to their nation of origin upon expiration.

As for illegal workers, there is no excuse. Employers, and those who defend them, should be given the bills for the social services and damage (medical, education, crime, etc.) that illegal aliens currently cost US citizens and taxpayers. If they were they would discover the cheap labor is not so cheap.

As for the "5 million " or so that would be "buying homes" etc. etc., where has this nitwit been hiding? Illegals have been buying homes using the sub=prime mortgage program. Wow, what a boost to the economy that has been. Not to mention the expanding opportunities in safe-house management, meth lab construction and operations, drug smuggling and transportation, and, last but not least, presenting the US ATF its largest client base for the sale of automatic weapons. My god, what would we do without them?