27 Oct America: Closed for Business?

Throughout its history, the United States was built on the backs of immigrants who packed up their entire lives, traversed thousands of miles, and settled down for a fresh start (see Finding Your Silver Lining in the Business Immigration Process for further information). They came from lands near and far, full of hopes and dreams, in search of the promises America had to offer, and through their hard work and dedication transformed a massive and beautiful country into the modern nation in which many of us live today. These are facts – there is no fake news here. The vast majority of Americans today are descendants of ancestors who immigrated to the United States. Immigrants are what made, and continue to make, America great. America is and always has been a country of immigrants, although lately that message seems to have been lost in translation – literally!.

Staying true to its immigrant roots, for many decades, the U.S. government has encouraged the legal immigration – both permanent and temporary – of foreign business owners, entrepreneurs, and skilled workers through business visas such as the H1-B, E-1, E-2, L-1, EB-5 and other similar immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Immigrants today are still coming to America with similar hopes and dreams as our immigrant ancestors, seeking better lives for themselves and their families – and they come here to work and invest in America and the future. Immigrants create jobs, contribute to the economy, pay taxes, and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. They keep this country running, and our current President, with the help of his administration, are, quite simply, not treating them RIGHT in almost anyone’s book.

The math does not support Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” ideology. Employers and business immigration professionals are reporting a recent increase in the amount of RFEs (Requests for Evidence) and even denials for temporary and permanent employment-based visa petitions, meaning that less skilled workers and foreign capital is coming in to the country. Most disturbing of all, there are ever-increasing reports of immigrants with current legal visas and even green cards being detained and questioned by US Customs and Border Protection when returning from overseas.[1] And things only stand to get worse should Trump’s RAISE Act become law (see RAISE Act blog article).

According to CNBC, immigrants account for roughly half of the population growth rate in the United States and make up a sizable percentage of the domestic labor force. If the RAISE Act were to become law, it would cut visa quotas in half as well as make it more difficult for immigrants to bring their families along with them. This would mean that the United States could lose a substantial portion of its labor force and, according to experts, may potentially drive more businesses to move operations outside the country as they will not be able to fill company positions. Experts also predict that the new restrictions would cause an influx of illegal immigration as migrants are forced to find alternative, not always legal means of entering the country.[2]

There is no evidence that the Trump administration’s plans for immigration reform will do anything to “make America great again.” In fact, these anti-immigration policies are likely to have exactly the opposite outcome – effectively promoting more company outsourcing instead of creating jobs for American citizens. If the Trump administration continues to push its anti-globalization ideologies, then it is only a matter of time before America is effectively “closed for business”. In today’s world, globalization and international thinking are keys to success over the short- and long-term.

To find out about professional, credible and comprehensive concierge business immigration services, as well as a variety of ancillary services, all of which are designed to specifically address USCIS’s concerns, contact e-Council Inc. at info@ecouncilinc.com.

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[1] https://www.mwe.com/en/thought-leadership/publications/2017/09/us-immigration-under-the-trump-administration

[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/02/trump-supports-immigration-bill-that-could-have-negative-impact-on-agenda.html