Immigrants Are Meeting a Need
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
|
Robert J. Samuelson's May 31 op-ed column, "What You Don't Know About the Immigration Bill," draws the wrong conclusion. Yes, the recently passed Senate immigration reform legislation would increase immigration -- he estimates that it would double the current legal flow -- but he fails to note that this would simply respond to market forces.
We need about 1.5 million to 2 million immigrants each year just to keep up with the demand for their services. Under our badly broken system, we admit fewer than 1 million, and the rest come illegally. Surely Mr. Samuelson does not believe that it would be good for the country if we suddenly needed fewer workers. The question is how best to accommodate our need, and creating a realistic policy for legal immigration is certainly the best way.
LINDA CHAVEZ
Chairman
Center for Equal Opportunity
Sterling