Business and the Workforce
Immigrants not only bring diverse skills and perspectives to the U.S. workforce, they often fill employment gaps in crucial fields. We advocate for expanded work visas and related programs so our labor force can continue to benefit from immigrant workers and remain competitive in the global economy
USCIS “Do-Over” of Visa Bulletin Undercuts Administration’s Goal of Visa Modernization
Washington D.C. – As the result of a grave error made by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) just days ago, thousands of noncitizens who had expected to apply to adjust their status to lawful permanent residence in October will continue to face lengthy waits before they can submit… Read More
State Representative and Entrepreneur Says Talent Shortage is Hurting Economic Growth
Sam Rasoul epitomizes the ambitious spirit of America’s immigrant families. “My parents left the Middle East due to turmoil in the late 1960s,” says Rasoul, who was born in Ohio and raised in the Roanoke Valley. Rasoul, who would go on to earn an MBA, start two businesses, and help… Read More
Executive Director Benjamin Johnson Testifies Before Senate on High-Skilled Immigration
Washington D.C. – Today, the American Immigration Council’s Executive Director, Benjamin Johnson, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the integral role immigration plays in America’s economic prosperity. Although the hearing title, “Immigration Reforms Needed to Protect Skilled American Workers,” suggested that some minds had already been made up, he reframed… Read More
In Immigrants, Michigan’s Business Community Sees a Way to Grow the Economy, Says Entrepreneur
When Bing Goei and his parents came to western Michigan in 1960, they were among the first Indonesians to arrive in the region, and their arrival made the front page of the local newspaper. “It must have been a slow news day,” Goei laughs. These days, it’s hardly big news… Read More
British Chef Cooks Up the Quintessential American Dream
British immigrant Mark Elliott opened his first restaurant, Elliott’s on Linden, in the fall of 2000, serving up southern staples such as shrimp and grits alongside more creative culinary endeavors like elk chops with lemon-sage marmalade and pomegranate jus. The fine-dining eatery was a hit: Within months, Elliott… Read More
Reform Allowing Immigrants To Study and Work Would Boost Community Output, Says Mexican-American Volunteer
After Angelica Velasquez’s father came to the United States from Mexico at age 20, he was deported several times. But he returned, married, and started a construction business. “He’s a contributor. Plus, they raised me and my five siblings, and we’re all great contributors,” says Velasquez, 41, the human resources… Read More
How An Indian Immigrant Is Fundamentally Transforming Alabama’s Auto Industry
After close to four decades in the auto industry, including a position running global research for Mercedes-Benz in Germany, Indian immigrant Bharat Balasubramanian, moved to Alabama. Today, he is executive director of the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies at the University of Alabama, an inter-disciplinary research center dedicated to the… Read More
When Immigrants Move to Take Pork Industry Jobs, Businesses in Downtown Guymon Thrive
As the program director of Main Street Guymon, a resource center dedicated to helping businesses in the small city of Guymon, Oklahoma, succeed, Melyn Johnson has unique insight into what allows her community to thrive. Since its founding in 2005, her group has accumulated roughly $10 million in private funding. Read More
Immigration Lawyer in Virginia Sees Firsthand How Expanding the American Dream Helps All Americans
Lisa Johnson-Firth – founder and principal attorney at Immigrants First, an immigration and human rights law firm, and adjunct law professor at Georgetown University – believes that helping foreign nationals achieve their American dream is the best way for all of us to fulfill our dream of being… Read More
With Investors Wary of Non-Citizen Founders, Two Immigrants Launch Multimillion Dollar Startup With Credit Cards
Marcela Henao’s company, LeapFactor, helps corporations increase efficiency and revenue and boasts clients such as L’Oreal, Bayer, JPMorgan Chase, and Avon. The Colombian immigrant, who manages a team of tech professionals across Latin America from her company’s base in Miami, has been successful from the start. By 2014, just four… Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar
No one should face the immigration system alone
