President Biden's recent pledge to overhaul the immigration system and establish a legal pipeline for foreign workers has been met with much enthusiasm from business leaders. While many Americans are struggling economically, some sectors of our economy depend heavily on migrant labor or work visas - meaning that these jobs could go unfilled without access to an abundant supply of immigrants who want them enough they're willing to enter America illegally. So, for example, Northwest Arkansas--home not only Wal-Mart but also to one-third of all US poultry processing plants (which together process more than 13 billion pounds per year)--is counting on the President fulfilling his campaign promise by easing restrictions on skilled immigrant workers to keep pace with demand.
In the past ten years, America has seen its population growth rate slow down. This is bad for our nation's economy and poses significant challenges in terms of maintaining social services and ensuring that everyone who wants work will be able to find them.
In Northwest Arkansas alone, there are more than 40 poultry processing plants employing thousands of people with an average age lower than 30; without these workers from Mexico coming across the border every year, this region would collapse into poverty as all those jobs evaporate overnight due to automation or lack thereof. The chicken industry cannot operate without immigrants. Hence, I hope President Biden can deliver on his pledge by overhauling immigration law and establishing a legal pipeline for foreign workers here. If he doesn't, then parts of the country that have seen large growth will be forced to close many of the plants for lack of employees. Many business leaders are pushing the administration to provide us with a plan on how skilled and unskilled can stay and work in the United States. If you are interested in learning more about the ongoing changes, give us a call for a consultation. 602.515. 8859.