Overview

Immigration reform has been a national priority for many years, but it has been difficult to build winning legislative coalitions. Public concern aggravated by the recession has predominantly focused on concerns about job competition, wage pressures, and the perceived social costs of illegal immigrants. Lost in this discussion is the fact that the majority of immigrants live in the United States legally, and immigrant workers contribute income, Social Security, Medicare, and sales taxes. Immigrants create new businesses and job opportunities, spur innovation, and play significant roles in both high and low-skilled occupations.

25%

of technology and engineering businesses launched in the U.S. between 1995 and 2005 had an immigrant founder.

900%

The U.S. increased border security funding almost every year since from 1992 to 2007 — an increase of 900%.