A US senator in Oklahoma says some immigrants who have completed their education in the United States should be able to remain in the country and get jobs. The Downtown Club of Oklahoma City was told by Republican senator James Lankford that although he does not expect any progress to be made when it comes to immigration policy for at least the next 18 months, the numbers will be the crucial factor in crafting immigration laws that decide who can stay and who should leave.
“People who graduate with a terminal degree should be able to stay here and work,” Lankford told the audience. “I’d like to be able to steal every smart person out of China we can possibly get, because I want to continue to beat them economically.”Lankford did admit, however, that students who study in the United States should at least consider going back home to use their new knowledge and skills to improve their home country. He added that he hopes whoever wins the presidency in 2016, whether a Republican or a Democrat, will be willing to work with Congress on the immigration reform issue.
Lankford acknowledged that it will be very difficult to pass anything on Capitol Hill during an election year, particularly on a subject as contentious as immigration; however, he expects to see non-immigration related bills passed, such as highway transportation funding and a rewrite of the country’s education policy.