Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Opinion): The pragmatism so characteristic of the Midwest is again in evidence as communities adjust to how immigration is changing the nation, in striking contrast with some other parts of the country. But the Midwest has just as big a stake in fixing the nation's broken immigration system as those who are more vociferous about the problem.
Illegal immigration is the most visible sign of what's broken; however, there is also a compelling economic case for action. The nation's outdated immigration laws keep employers from competing for foreign-born workers, especially the highly skilled. Such talent is critical to the industrial restructuring that is the hope of a new Midwest economy.
The native-born workforce alone is insufficient for sustaining a globally competitive knowledge economy. The United States is now an aging society, no longer producing enough younger workers. Moreover, the innovation that is key to success and global competitiveness comes from math and science fields. Today, 60% to 70% of graduate students studying computer science and electrical engineering, for example, in U.S. colleges and universities are foreign-born.
Many of the most productive, successful high-skilled workers came to the U.S. as students. Yet current laws make it difficult or impossible for them to stay. When they do, evidence of the contributions of immigrants speaks for itself. Twenty-five percent of U.S. patents for innovation are held by immigrants. And 25% of all high-tech firms launched between 1995 and 2005 were founded by immigrants.
Numerous studies show that not only do immigrants drive innovation, they are net job creators. To cite but one, 100 immigrants with science and engineering degrees generated an average of 262 jobs for American workers. Nor has the economic downturn changed these basic trends. Even with high unemployment, the native workforce alone cannot supply all needed workplace skills - both high-end and low-end.
Plenty of other industrialized economies, many with low or negative population growth, are in the same boat. Thus, international competition to attract talent will only increase. With an entrepreneurial economy, world-class higher education and a history of openness to immigration, the U.S. is still winning. But the lead is narrowing. The U.S. share of international students shrank from 29% in 2000 to 21% in 2008.
The biggest challengers are China and India. They are making large investments in science and engineering education for their citizens, alongside better opportunities and standards of living. The U.S. must do the same. But that is a long-term endeavor. In the meantime, an overhaul of our antiquated and rigid immigration laws would provide a critical bridge for supplementing the native-born workforce and remaining a global leader.
Workforce mismatch issues are also evident in key lower-skill sectors of the labor market, such as agriculture, food processing and tourism. Forty percent of dairy farm workers in Wisconsin, for example, are Mexican-born. Meat processing plants dot Midwest communities, employing foreign-born workers who are helping reverse decades of population and economic decline in smaller towns and rural areas. Most of these workers are illegal, because there are no adequate legal avenues for such workers when legitimate labor market needs can be demonstrated.
Effective border enforcement has been an imperative in the post-Sept. 11 world. However, public perception has not caught up with today's reality that the unprecedented infusion of resources in border enforcement, coupled with the economic downturn, has led to a halt in net new illegal immigration.
Securing a future of continued global economic leadership and prosperity at home requires immigration laws that harness the advantages of immigration. The experience and future of the Midwest are emblematic of the need.
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FIRESIDE FORUMS
Doris Meissner will speak at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Institute of World Affairs "Fireside Forums on Foreign Policy" at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Fireside Lounge in the UWM Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.
Doris Meissner, who served as commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service from 1993-2000, is director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute, an independent, nonpartisan research organization that studies U.S. and international immigration policies and trends.
Illegal immigration is the most visible sign of what's broken; however, there is also a compelling economic case for action. The nation's outdated immigration laws keep employers from competing for foreign-born workers, especially the highly skilled. Such talent is critical to the industrial restructuring that is the hope of a new Midwest economy.
The native-born workforce alone is insufficient for sustaining a globally competitive knowledge economy. The United States is now an aging society, no longer producing enough younger workers. Moreover, the innovation that is key to success and global competitiveness comes from math and science fields. Today, 60% to 70% of graduate students studying computer science and electrical engineering, for example, in U.S. colleges and universities are foreign-born.
Many of the most productive, successful high-skilled workers came to the U.S. as students. Yet current laws make it difficult or impossible for them to stay. When they do, evidence of the contributions of immigrants speaks for itself. Twenty-five percent of U.S. patents for innovation are held by immigrants. And 25% of all high-tech firms launched between 1995 and 2005 were founded by immigrants.
Numerous studies show that not only do immigrants drive innovation, they are net job creators. To cite but one, 100 immigrants with science and engineering degrees generated an average of 262 jobs for American workers. Nor has the economic downturn changed these basic trends. Even with high unemployment, the native workforce alone cannot supply all needed workplace skills - both high-end and low-end.
Plenty of other industrialized economies, many with low or negative population growth, are in the same boat. Thus, international competition to attract talent will only increase. With an entrepreneurial economy, world-class higher education and a history of openness to immigration, the U.S. is still winning. But the lead is narrowing. The U.S. share of international students shrank from 29% in 2000 to 21% in 2008.
The biggest challengers are China and India. They are making large investments in science and engineering education for their citizens, alongside better opportunities and standards of living. The U.S. must do the same. But that is a long-term endeavor. In the meantime, an overhaul of our antiquated and rigid immigration laws would provide a critical bridge for supplementing the native-born workforce and remaining a global leader.
Workforce mismatch issues are also evident in key lower-skill sectors of the labor market, such as agriculture, food processing and tourism. Forty percent of dairy farm workers in Wisconsin, for example, are Mexican-born. Meat processing plants dot Midwest communities, employing foreign-born workers who are helping reverse decades of population and economic decline in smaller towns and rural areas. Most of these workers are illegal, because there are no adequate legal avenues for such workers when legitimate labor market needs can be demonstrated.
Effective border enforcement has been an imperative in the post-Sept. 11 world. However, public perception has not caught up with today's reality that the unprecedented infusion of resources in border enforcement, coupled with the economic downturn, has led to a halt in net new illegal immigration.
Securing a future of continued global economic leadership and prosperity at home requires immigration laws that harness the advantages of immigration. The experience and future of the Midwest are emblematic of the need.
***
FIRESIDE FORUMS
Doris Meissner will speak at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Institute of World Affairs "Fireside Forums on Foreign Policy" at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Fireside Lounge in the UWM Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.
Doris Meissner, who served as commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service from 1993-2000, is director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute, an independent, nonpartisan research organization that studies U.S. and international immigration policies and trends.
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