Earlier this week, the U.S. government announced new restrictions on immigration to the United States. But America’s New Business Plan calls for greater opportunity for immigrant entrepreneurs, not less. Immigrant entrepreneurs have a strong history of job creation and represent a crucial component of America’s new business ecosystem.
Several members of the Start Us Up coalition contributed to the national conversation, speaking out on the development or sharing relevant research and survey data. In this week’s roundup, we’re proud to highlight the communications that stood out.
Engine: Statement on the Trump Administration’s Proclamation to Suspend Visas for Foreign Workers
Evan Engstrom, executive director of Engine, spoke to not only the unique benefits foreign workers bring to the American economy, but also to the proclamation’s negative effect on small business recovery amid a global pandemic.
Niskanen Center: Suspending High-Skilled Migration Will Prolong the Recovery
The Niskanen Center published a piece Monday detailing the decision’s likely effect on our COVID-19 recovery, noting “the suspensions will ultimately prolong the recovery and wreak havoc on the economic prospects of the Americans the administration claims to be protecting.” The analysis also discusses the job-creating power of H-1B workers.
Economic Immigration Group: From Managing Decline to Building the Future – Could a Heartland Visa Help Struggling Regions?
In April, EIG released a report discussing how immigration programs, including H-1B visas, can be deployed as a place-based policy tool to invigorate local economies, particularly those struggling amid demographic shifts. This thorough research affirms the power immigrants, a highly entrepreneurial community, can have in our “pursuit of a more inclusive geography of economic growth and opportunity.”
The Entrepreneurial Energy of Immigrant Business Owners – and the Hidden Barriers they Face
And finally, in March, Tamar Jacoby, president of coalition member Opportunity America, shared results from a series of roundtables and a survey of immigrant entrepreneurs, detailing the barriers immigrant entrepreneurs face and the extraordinary energy and grit they’ve brought to America’s new business community.
Now more than ever, it’s important we amplify these voices and continue working to support the entrepreneurial pursuits of all.