Local opinion: Immigration reform is key to America’s future

Strawberry fields, peach orchards and orange groves are being left to rot because farmers can’t find workers. The problem goes far beyond agriculture. Restaurants, hotels, hospitals, construction sites, and even big tech companies are struggling to fill jobs. Outdated immigration laws, partisan gridlock, and strict visa rules have made the labor shortage worse. If the United States wants to keep growing and remain a technological leader, we need two things: immigration reform for people already here and a stronger, modern guest-worker program.

Progress has been difficult in today’s divided political climate. Former President George W. Bush once warned about recurring “isms”: isolationism (turning inward), protectionism (shielding businesses from competition), and nativism (fearing immigrants). These same impulses deepened the Great Depression nearly a century ago. They are resurfacing, and they are just as dangerous.

The first step is acknowledging the truth: America doesn’t have enough workers. Our birthrate has declined from 3.68 in 1957 to about 1.6 today. A rate of 2.1 is needed just to maintain the population. Meanwhile, baby boomers are retiring, creating openings in manufacturing, transportation, and other essential sectors. Without immigration, our economy, military strength, and technological edge will shrink.

The data are unmistakable. Seven in ten employers struggle to hire. Agriculture alone lacks about 155,000 workers, even after issuing over 310,000 H-2A farm visas. Sixty-five percent of hotels still report staff shortages. Eighty-two percent of restaurants are actively hiring. Even Silicon Valley cannot find enough experts in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. 85,000 H-1B visas are issued each year, and the application fee was recently increased to $100,000. That barrier doesn’t protect us; it hurts us. Physicist Michio Kaku once called the H-1B America’s secret weapon for innovation.

The need is clear in advanced manufacturing. Major tech companies have invested billions in Arizona. TSMC is committing over $165 billion to build six new semiconductor plants in Phoenix. Intel is spending $20 billion to expand its Chandler campus. American Battery Factory and LG Energy Solutions are investing billions in southern Arizona. Tens of thousands of jobs are coming, but without a strong guest-worker program and a rejection of nativist attitudes, many of those jobs will go unfilled. If we fail to act, these historic investments won’t deliver the benefits we expect.

A recent Immigration raid in Georgia proves how broken the system is. ICE arrested hundreds of foreign workers at the construction site of Hyundai’s multibillion-dollar electric vehicle battery plant. They lacked proper work authorization because getting the right visas is complex and slow, even for corporations with teams of lawyers. If major companies can’t navigate the process, the system is clearly failing.

So how do we fix this?

First, by rejecting fear and remembering who we are. The United States is a nation of immigrants. Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Andrew Carnegie, and Elon Musk all came from other countries. Immigrants have driven many of our greatest achievements. If we want to compete with a rising China and remain an economic superpower, we must welcome the talent and labor that will fuel our growth.

Second, we need a modern, fair guest-worker program. Today’s system is confusing, expensive, and ties workers to one employer, making them vulnerable to abuse and leaving industries short-staffed. A better system would offer visas linked to sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, construction, agriculture, and technology. Workers could move within their field and travel home without fear.

Congress has a chance to act. The bipartisan Dignity Act of 2025 would strengthen border security, reform asylum, and provide work and travel authorization for millions of undocumented immigrants. Applicants must pass background checks, pay their taxes, and a $7,000 fine. Dreamers could gain conditional permanent residence with a pathway to citizenship. The bill isn’t perfect, but it’s a serious step toward solving our urgent labor shortage.

Make your voice heard. Contact your representative and Senators. Urge them to support the Dignity Act and a robust guest-worker program. Our economy, our communities, and our future depend on it. Lawmakers have delayed for too long. It’s time to act.