Immigrants play a big role in the economy of the United States, helping to harvest food and care for children as well as to staff research labs and design electronics. The United States certainly recognizes benefits from the hard work of all of these people, and yet a lot of people do not understand that working in America also contributes to the improvement of the quality of life of individuals in the home countries of these workers. These people send the money that they earn back to their families, who are thus able to live a better life as a result, the Los Angeles Times says.
Given that both the United States and the country of origin benefit from this transaction, the delay in comprehensive immigration reform has been blamed by experts on the frequently caustic partisan debate between the political sides. With the crucial role that was played in the 2012 US Presidential election by immigrant populations, reform is now more vital than ever before.
“Immigrants operate on supply and demand, like everything else,” the Institute of the Americas vice president, S Lynne Walker, told the Los Angeles Times. “Even in the midst of economic crises, many agricultural, construction and hard labor jobs are going unfilled. Really and truly, Americans don’t want to be out in the hot sun picking fruits and vegetables and carrying crates on their shoulders.”
Because of the anti-immigrant mindsets of many citizens and lawmakers, many local employees who rely on foreign manpower are now suffering from a shortage of workers, making comprehensive reform all the more vital.