POLICIES

Immigration increases and supplements the labor force exceptionally well because the U.S. economy is creating more jobs that can be filled by the U.S.-born workers. In the 1990s, half of the growth in the U.S. labor force came from immigrants. The projected to increase. This demand for foreign labor is evident across the skills spectrum. At a time when Japan and most European and most European countries are less competitive and face rising welfare costs due to declining working-age populations, the influx of young, tax-paying immigrants helps the U.S. and the U.S. influx of young, tax-paying immigrants is helping the United States overcome worker and skill shortages. to overcome worker and skills shortages and accreditation program failures. accreditation program. Without immigration, we cannot sustain the growth and prosperity to which we have become accustomed. prosperity to which we have become accustomed. 

Immigrants help the United States maintain a competitive edge. In the critical fields of science and engineering, immigrants play a crucial role. To give just one example, in 2004, 50 percent of students enrolled in graduate engineering programs in the U.S. higher education system were foreign-born. At a time China and India are becoming increasingly competitive, the U.S. must continue to attract the best and attract the world's best and brightest, or risk losing an important resource to other nations. 

Immigration continues to be a driving force behind the dynamism of American society. The impact of immigration on daily life is evident in the food we eat, the entertainment we watch, the churches we attend and the sports we play. Prominent immigrants have won Nobel Prizes, built spectacular skyscrapers, written or performed masterpieces and served at the highest levels of government. Classic indicators such as employment, education, military service, intermarriage, and homeownership show that today's immigrants are successfully integrating into American society.