The New York Times reports this morning that American and Mexican researchers have charted a marked decline in illegal crossings from Mexico into the U.S.—the result, they say, of the ailing U.S. economy. http://tinyurl.com/qnjmf7.
This trend suggests that the economy, not arbitrary and unworkable caps on temporary work visas, dictate the flow of immigrants into the U.S. Yet our current immigration system is plagued with random visa caps for both skilled and unskilled workers which do not correspond to economic trends. In good times U.S businesses are hamstrung by inadequate visa availability which directly impacts their ability to effectively compete in a global economy. Such caps also increase the flow of illegal immigration.
Hopefully, the Obama Administration and Congress will soon get to work fashioning a safe, orderly, and fair immigration system—one that meets the needs of U.S. families and businesses, protects immigrants’ rights, and promotes American competitiveness in the global marketplace. To be effective, immigration reform must take into account the economic realities of migration. This requires a more flexible, business friendly approach to the availability of visas for skilled and unskilled workers.