Insight

August 3, 2023

Executive Summary

• The United States has long required employment-based immigration reform that would patch holes in the system that result in the loss of productive foreign labor.
• One promising place to start is the creation of a legal and permanent pathway to employment for dependents of long-term visa holders, the so-called “Documented Dreamers”; this population is an important source of labor, as most pursue higher education and high-skilled employment but are forced to self-deport after “aging-out” of their dependent status.
• Congress has introduced the America’s CHILDREN Act, which would protect “Documented Dreamers” from self-deportation; the bill would represent a small but important step toward more effective employment-based immigration reform.

Introduction

The United States has long required employment-based immigration reform that would patch holes in the current system that result in the loss of productive foreign labor. One promising, but by no means comprehensive, place to start is the creation of a legal and permanent pathway to employment for dependents of long-term visa holders who come to the United States as children.

Once these so-called “Documented Dreamers” reach 21 years of age, they “age-out” of their visa dependency and must self-deport unless they find an alternative pathway to immigration. Due to decades-long green card and visa backlogs, many of these individuals are unable to obtain another legal status and must...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMidWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtZXJpY2FuYWN0aW9u...