The Economic Benefits of Fixing Our Broken Immigration
System
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/07/10/economic-benefits-fixing-our-broken-immigration-system
America
has always been a nation of immigrants, and throughout the nation’s history,
immigrants from around the globe have kept our workforce vibrant, our
businesses on the cutting edge, and helped to build the greatest economic
engine in the world. However, America’s
immigration system is broken and has not kept pace with changing times. Today,
too many employers game the system by hiring undocumented workers and there are
11 million people living and working in the shadow economy. Neither is good for
the economy or the country.
The Senate’s Border Security, Economic Opportunity and
Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) represents the best chance that our
country has had in years to modernize our immigration system. The President
urges the House of Representatives to take action and move this bill or similar
legislation forward, and stands willing to work with all parties to make sure
that commonsense immigration reform becomes a reality as soon as possible.
During a meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus this
morning, the President released a White House report highlighting the extensive
economic benefits of comprehensive immigration reform – and the significant
costs to our country and our economy of failing to act at this critical time.
Economists, business leaders, and American workers agree –
we must take advantage of this historic opportunity to fix our broken
immigration system. At stake is a
stronger, more dynamic, and faster growing economy that will foster job
creation, higher productivity and wages, and entrepreneurship.