U.S. Capital

The Next Immigration Conundrum – Use It Or Lose It – STEM Remains A Hot Issue

May 18, 2013

Miami, FL (Law Firm Newswire) May 17, 2013 – No matter politicians say, it might not be what they are really doing when it comes to immigration reform.

“These days, no matter what news comes out of Washington, one has to regard it with a jaundiced eye. This is due to the fact that traditionally, Republicans and Democrats have a long history of not getting along. Certainly, we all know how they did not agree on how immigration reform should be handled. Mostly, the perfect storm of avoidance delayed reform until now —- maybe,” added Larry S. Rifkin, a Miami immigration lawyer and managing partner at Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, with law offices in Miami, Florida and Orlando, Florida.

It was ever thus that two different political parties would not agree on much of anything. Now, since the election shakeup, bipartisan efforts are the order of the day for immigration reform. However, there is still a mountain of issues to tackle when it comes to this subject. The interesting thing in this grand and vitriolic debate is that most Americans do not realize the current immigration system has stagnated since 1965. “It’s time to get with the program and make changes,” added Rifkin. “You just can’t stick with a 1965 status quo and have it work.”

Americans also do not grasp that immigration reform is about creating more jobs. However, more jobs cannot be created if recruiters outside the U.S. snag the brightest American trained talent. “This is the main point the technology sector is making,” Rifkin pointed out. STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields are growing and expanding rapidly, and the demand for skilled workers is at an all time, and likely continuing, high.

A stalled technological sector does not help improve the U.S. economy. If fact, it sets it back. More than 25 percent of America’s technology firms indicate they cannot find and hire STEM graduates. Additionally, the number of Americans studying in these areas is not growing as rapidly as it should —- inching up by only 1 percent a year. Recent statistics show that if every American with a STEM degree did get a job, the nation would still have a dearth of 200,000 jobs by 2018.

“While those figures might not ring a bell with anyone, it should be noted that for every approximately 100 immigrants with STEM degrees garnered in the U.S., with the graduate staying to work here, another 262 jobs are created. Do the math. The outcome for the economy could be phenomenal. It’s time to deal with immigration reform and put our economy back on track,” suggested Rikfin.

To learn more or to contact an Orlando immigration attorney or Miami immigration attorney, visit http://www.rifkinfox.com.

Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, P.A.
1110 Brickell Avenue
Suite 210
Miami, Florida 33131
Toll Free: (866) 681-0202