Today, FWD.us today released a new report examining the harmful economic consequences of recent attacks to legal immigration. Titled “The Case for Protecting Legal Immigration Against Recent Attacks,” the report details the intentional effort by the current administration and some Members of Congress to make immigration harder and more burdensome with the goal of reducing overall legal immigration. It dives into recent regulatory and policy reforms, all of which have made it more difficult for individuals who want to contribute to the U.S. to enter the country legally, and for individuals already here to stay and continue serving our communities.
The policy changes are varied in nature, but they are all likely to have profoundly negative impacts on the U.S. economy. Eliminating avenues for individuals who want to create American jobs and grow the economy to immigrate to the United States would devastate economic growth, causing as much as a two percent drop in GDP by 2040, and by making 4.6 million fewer jobs available. Moreover, these new proposals contradict our nation’s heritage as a country that welcomes immigrants, and would deny American families the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones.
In addition to the release of the report, FWD.us held a press call with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Cato Institute on the impact of cutting our legal immigration system. Below please find quotes from call participants:
“Efforts to cut our legal immigration system exacerbate an already-broken system and keep the U.S. at an economic disadvantage. We must begin the hard but crucial work of sensible reform to ensure that immigration remains a driver of our economy and America’s unique competitive advantage for generations to come.” —Todd Schulte, President, FWD.us
“Efforts to cut legal immigration create a substantial amount of uncertainty for companies across a range of industries. The potential disruptions would be costly to employers, the local communities where these businesses are located, the American workers employed by those businesses, and the economy as a whole. We will continue to advocate for policies that promote economic growth and job creation in the U.S.” —Jon Baselice, Director of Immigration Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
“The economic consensus is that immigrants and temporary visitors are a significant economic benefit to the United States. This conclusion reflects the view that see people as human capital, one of the essential elements of economic growth.” —David Bier, Immigration Policy Analyst, Cato Institute
“As a physicist and entrepreneur, the best way for me to actively contribute to the advancement of science and technology in the United States is by leveraging my expertise. Eliminating work authorization for roughly 100,000 H-4 visa holders, most of whom are educated women like me, will hurt our country and have negative consequences on tens of thousands of American families. We must protect legal immigration channels that will help the U.S. remain at the forefront of innovation for generations to come.” —Dr. Maria Navas-Moreno, Co-Founder of Lever Photonics and an H-4 visa holder
