What we think: Reform immigration, keep competitive edge

September 21, 2013

This year's debate in Congress over immigration reform has been dominated by arguments over border security and the fate of the 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally. But it's much more complicated than that.

Immigration policy has multiple problems. Their impact goes beyond security; it includes the health of the economy in Florida and across the nation. As a group of Florida university and college presidents recently pointed out in a letter to the state's congressional delegation, current policy is "a critical threat to America's preeminence as the center of innovation and prosperity."

Here's why: Many of the graduates at U.S. universities who have earned degrees in science, technology, engineering and math are temporary U.S. residents. Once they complete their studies, current immigration policy pushes these STEM graduates to take their cutting-edge skills abroad to work for America's competitors. That's because current limits on visas for highly skilled graduates to work in the U.S. are too low, and the waits are too long.

More than half the graduates at Florida's research universities earning master's or doctoral degrees in STEM subjects in recent years have been temporary residents. But the number who stay in the United States has been dropping.

Current immigration policy also limits the supply of seasonal workers that farmers in Florida and other states depend on to help plant and harvest their crops. Agriculture pumps more than $100 billion a year into Florida's economy.

Additionally, current policy puts up obstacles to college for young people who were illegally brought into this country as children by their parents. A national study cited by the Florida college and university presidents found that clearing those obstacles would create 1.4 million jobs and generate $329 billion in economic activity over the next 20 years.

The U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive immigration-reform bill in June that included fixes for the flaws highlighted by the college and university presidents. But the House, rather than take up and pass the Senate bill, has broken up the issue into separate, smaller measures.

Immigration reform is almost certain to fail under this piecemeal approach. The Senate bill reflects the reality that change will come only through a comprehensive bill that balances the diverse interests and competing demands behind immigration policy. Pulling the bill apart will make reform collapse.

The Florida college and university presidents urged the state's U.S. House members "to work together to develop a comprehensive, bipartisan solution." Such a solution already is right in front of them in the Senate bill.

With its 27 members, Florida's House delegation could maintain momentum for reform. If they're serious about creating more jobs and opportunity — especially in their home state — they'll seize the challenge from the college and university presidents.

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