Catherine Rampell’s column (“U.S. has too few immigrants,” The Columbian, May 3) is undoubtedly correct. Statistics show that immigrants have a higher workforce participation rate compared with the U.S.-born population (66.4 percent compared with 62.85). Also, communities with higher diversity have higher economic growth. Immigrants are more likely to work in essential sectors compared with U.S.-born workers, and their spending power fuels the economy.
Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that migration has recently skyrocketed from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti. These countries are facing extreme violence and poverty. Immigrants often come from rural communities, did not finish their basic education, and have limited English.
Yes, in an ideal scenario, introducing a high influx of immigrants into the workforce could help inflation, fiscal issues and support the Chip Act, but the process is not fast. We currently do not have the resources to process their immigration status quickly and place them into a workforce program to quickly evaluate their skills and needs. We currently do not have those systems in place.
