The Partnership for New York City applauds the Supreme Court decision that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is lawful and may continue. We urge Congress to establish a permanent legislative solution to protect young immigrants, offer a path to citizenship, and to reinforce the vital role immigrants play in our country’s economy and society.
New York City continues to thrive because of its vibrant immigrant population. Comprehensive immigration reform is critical to keeping New York City a global economic hub. Immigrants count for 37% of the city’s population and 52% of city business owners are foreign born. Congress should act to provide a clear path to citizenship for immigrants at all skill levels, reform the H-1B lottery system to allow U.S. companies to hire skilled workers based on labor demand, fast-track longer term work visas for STEM students educated in the U.S., and establish an aggressive program to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to build companies in the U.S.