The Positive Economic Contributions of Immigrants in the U.S. and the American Immigrant Workforce

AIC, Sept. 20, 2023

"Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, our Policy Director, testified before Congress to explain the positive economic contributions of immigrants in the U.S. and the ongoing challenge that the U.S. faces addressing the underfunded and outdated humanitarian protection system.

The testimony explains:

• The positive economic impact of all immigrants, including refugees, undocumented immigrants, TPS beneficiaries, and their families.  
• The need for a faster way for immigrants to access work authorization so that they can join the workforce and support themselves quickly.   
• The ways in which our 20th century asylum system act as a barrier to migrant self-sufficiency.  
• Mismatched spending priorities, which neglect immigration adjudication in favor of immigration enforcement, have created extensive backlogs.  

The testimony concludes that Congress' failure to provide adequate resources to our humanitarian adjudication systems and to support local communities has impeded economic growth and imposed unnecessary fiscal costs. Ultimately, Congress has the power to change the situation at the border by updating our immigration laws and providing the necessary resources to fund a modern humanitarian protection system."