Dear Readers:

Last week I mentioned that I was off to Washington to visit my Congressmen and Senators as part of the American Immigration Lawyers Association annual Lobby Day. This is the one day a year immigration lawyers from around the country visit their Congressional representatives to give them a “macro” picture of what is happening in their states and districts on the immigration front and to advocate for proposals consistent with our belief that immigration is good for America.

I’m from Tennessee, a state that is not known as a melting pot. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve focused on building a national immigration practice in the ten years since founding this law firm. But Tennessee has changed a lot over the last decade and it really is a good case study for how immigration is helping America and how the major immigration issues facing the country are relevant in our state as well. More than 25% of the private, for-profit hospitals in the country are owned or managed by Tennessee companies. Every hospital in the country, including the ones in my state, are feeling the effects of the worst health care professional shortage ever. Immigration is one of the tools that can be used to help deal with this crisis. The need for more immigrant nurses, doctors, technologists, etc. resonates with Tennessee legislators not just because Tennesseans need access to health care, but because so many people in my state work for companies that can’t grow and prosper as well as they could because of the professionals’ shortages.

Tennessee has hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers. These individuals are basically keeping several industries in our state afloat. While many Tennessee legislators would be very hesitant to support efforts to legalize this large population, they are more receptive to the notion that there needs to be reform in our immigration laws that will make it easier for employers to legally hire foreign workers when they can demonstrate that there are not American workers to available. The fact is that there are many more undocumented individuals working in this country – 14 million by one estimate – than there are unemployed Americans (8 million is the approximate number of unemployed). And within the ranks of the unemployed, there are a large number of workers who no matter what would not accept the kinds of backbreaking, low-paying jobs immigrants fill – agricultural pickers, chicken and meat processors, hotel maids, restaurant dishwashers, landscapers, etc.).

Tennessee is home to some of the country’s major international companies – both American based companies and foreign-owned companies with substantial operations. Federal Express is based in Memphis and has helped make the Memphis International Airport the world’s busiest cargo airport. More planes take off and land in Memphis every day than in any airport in the world thanks to the fact that just about every Federal Express package delivered in the US passes through the airport on its way to its eventual destination. Japanese-owned Nissan Motors builds a number of its car models in its successful Smyrna plant. Automobile parts retailer Autozone calls Memphis home. HCA, the world’s largest hospital company, is headquartered in Nashville. Japanese owned tire company Bridgestone/Firestone is based in Nashville. And there are many other examples. All of these companies rely on H-1B visas, E-2 visas, L-1 visas and other visa categories to ensure that they can bring over top managers and executives as well as the world’s leading talent. The fact that these companies can have access to visas for these needed company leaders and workers means thousands of other Tennesseans can find high paying good jobs. Companies that can’t operate with the needed freedom to hire who they want eventually will look at moving operations outside the US.

Several of the Representatives and aides we spoke to said the same thing to us – the pro-immigration side needs to make itself heard. Anti-immigrant groups are extremely well-organized and effective. They regularly bombard Congressional offices with calls, letters and emails to argue against pro-immigration bills and in favor of restrictionist legislation. But the silent majority that believes immigration is good for this country does not speak up. This despite the fact that the immigration is probably the number one reason that the United States economy is the most successful in the history of the world.

Nothing is really new here. In almost every generation, there have been organized efforts – even the organization of political parties – designed to thwart immigration. And in NEARLY every generation, the urge to slam the door has been avoided. In the few times where the restrictionists have succeeded in shutting the door,  we’ve come to regret it. In the last century, the most tragic example was the passage of the Immigration Act of 1924 which was deliberately designed to cut down on the immigration of Jews, Italians and Poles. Those groups, like the Mexicans of today, were despised by the majority population of the day. They argued that the immigration of these folks would take jobs away from worthy Americans, that they were a drain on the economy and that the cultural identity of the country was at risk. These arguments are now being used by the descendents of these immigrants to keep out new immigrants. Of course, we know that thousands of people died as a direct result of those rules just 15 years later during the Nazi Holocaust and World War II.

The message “Immigration Works” – AILA’s catchphrase to succinctly justify its positions – is one that resonates still, even with many in Congress who are seemingly against immigration. The problem is that people who agree with this sentiment are not making their voices heard. And that now needs to be the priority. Easy to say, of course, but everything we believe in depends on making the effort.

Finally, as always, we remind readers that we're lawyers who make our living representing immigration clients and employers seeking to comply with immigration laws. We would love to discuss becoming your law firm. Just go to http://www.visalaw.com/intake.html to request an appointment or call us at 800-748-3819 or 901-682-6455.

Regards,

Greg Siskind