Economy depends on immigrant workers

ORLANDO SLIPPED INTO the United States in 1989, fleeing a brutal civil war in Guatemala. This year, Orlando and his partner, another Guatemalan immigrant, purchased a lot in a blighted area, tore down the condemned buildings and began building a new shop for their successful auto repair service. Orlando's two children are soccer stars. His oldest son is a straight "A" student. His wife, also from Guatemala, cares for babies in an area day care center.

Immigrants come to the U.S. for many reasons. Most, like Orlando, come fleeing violence or economies that threaten the lives of their families. They come to work. They come for a better life. They come filled with hopes and dreams for the future. And they make invaluable contributions to our country.

The U.S. has a long-term worker shortage problem. Our work force is aging, and it is predicted that by 2008 we will have more jobs than people to fill them. During that same period, 57 percent of job growth is projected in occupations requiring no education or training. Our economy and our Social Security system depend upon the contributions of young immigrant workers.

Immigrants have high rates of small-business ownership and high rates of labor force participation. They have revitalized our inner cities, leading to economic development of downtown business districts.

Immigrants typically pay $80,000 more in taxes than they receive in government benefits over their lifetime. Most immigrants do not qualify for any public assistance, and low-income citizen children of immigrants use public assistance programs at a lower rate than children of native-born parents.

Immigrants are deeply integrated into our society and immigrants and citizens live together in families. There are more than 30 million immigrants in the U.S., representing 11 percent of the population. Eighty-five percent of immigrant families with children are in mixed-status families, with both citizen and non-citizen family members.

Orlando was able to qualify for asylum and legalize his status. Many immigrants are not so lucky. Often employers attempt to legalize the status of some of their best workers or bring in new workers, but the law doesn't allow it. Families are separated, husbands and wives are unable to obtain residency for their spouses, and parents of citizen children are deported. Legal, permanent residents wait 10 years to legally bring in a spouse or child. Every year, children who have lived their entire life in our country graduate from high school at the top of their class, only to discover that they are undocumented and cannot work or attend college.

Our immigration laws need comprehensive reform that recognizes the contributions of immigrants. We need changes that will meet the needs of employers, permit families to be together, and provide legal status for the workers and students currently contributing to our country.

Many immigration reform bills are pending. The Kennedy/McCain immigration bill, S1033, is a good comprehensive reform bill, while the DREAM Act would allow long-term students in U.S. high schools to legalize their status.

Kimberly Salinas represents the American Immmigration Lawyers Association in Fort Collins.