Immigration Policies and WI Economic Development Efforts Presented by: Jerome Grzeca, Managing Partner, Grzeca Law Group Friday, February 5, 2016

Transcription

1 Immigration Policies and WI Economic Development Efforts Presented by: Jerome Grzeca, Managing Partner, Grzeca Law Group Friday, February 5, 2016 Who We Are Jerome Grzeca, Managing Partner, Grzeca Law Group, S.C. John Holevoet, Director of Government Affairs, Dairy Business Association Tom Still, President, Wisconsin Technology Council 1

2 Goals of Today s Presentation Immigration impact on Wisconsin Immigration and Wisconsin industries Economic growth and Wisconsin s needs How can immigration law changes help Wisconsin? Answer any questions and provide resources Immigration in Wisconsin: General Overview Size of foreign-born population in Wisconsin (2013): 274,687 people, or 4.7% of the state s population Growth in foreign-born population ( ): 40.3% Percentage of Wisconsin workforce comprised by immigrant workers (2013): 5.6% Contributions made to WI economy by foreign students ( academic year): $308.6 million 2

3 Immigration in Wisconsin: Labor and Economy Statistics Purchasing power of immigrants in Wisconsin New immigrant business owners in Wisconsin Tax contributions of immigrants Impact on Wisconsin industries Immigration in Wisconsin: Effect on the Dairy Industry Percentage of all hired dairy employees in Wisconsin who are immigrant workers (2008): over 40% Seasonal work visas do not work for dairy farmers since their work is not seasonal. AgJOBS and W Visa Proposals What challenges does Wisconsin s Dairy Industry face as a result of not having reliable immigration options for its employees? 3

4 Immigration in Wisconsin: Effect on the IT Industry Ratio of STEM jobs to STEM workers: 3:1 Lagging skilled trade jobs Shortage of workers with specialist computer skills Job advertisements continue to go unfilled Employment expected to grow by 19% through 2020 Immigration in Wisconsin: Effect on the IT Industry Percentage of STEM graduates at Wisconsin s schools who are foreign-born (2013): 34.7% Percentage of Engineering PhDs in Wisconsin who are foreign nationals ( ): 58.1% Percentage of STEM workers with advanced degrees born abroad: 18.5% By 2020, Wisconsin will need to fill 120,300 new STEM jobs who will fill these roles and keep promoting economic growth? 4

5 Immigration in Wisconsin: Effect on the Manufacturing Industry WI one of the only states where manufacturing remains the biggest employer Change in the market with baby boomers retiring Visa options for immigrants in the manufacturing industry Local examples: Sheboygan, La Crosse, Plymouth Where do we find the solution for the struggle of Wisconsin industries? Immigration Policy that supports industrial and economic growth 5

6 Recent History: The 2013 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Senate Immigration Bill Broad-based proposal for reforming the U.S. immigration system. Addressed all aspects of immigration process: border and enforcement issues legal immigration reforms changes to family and employment-based visa categories increased availability of nonimmigrant workers to supplement all sectors of U.S. workforce The House of Representatives refused to consider the bill. Recent History: The 2014 Executive Actions on Immigration November 2014 Executive Actions Border enforcement Prioritize deportation of felons, not families Require criminal background check and payment of taxes for certain undocumented immigrants to temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) 6

7 And now United States v. Texas February 2015: U.S. District Court for Southern District of Texas temporarily enjoined DAPA and planned expansion of DACA Fifth Circuit Appeal in States Lawsuit January 2016: SCOTUS announced it will review the Fifth Circuit s decision. Oral arguments likely in April Decision before term ends in June What does Wisconsin and the U.S. need now? A policy that supports progress Potential for economic gains The difference between the tighter border enforcement and legalization policies considered and tested has an impact of about $260 billion over ten years on U.S. households. 7

8 Conclusion The economic contributions of immigrant workers in Wisconsin help us move forward Immigration reform would offer several social and economic benefits to immigrants and nonimmigrants in both Wisconsin and the wider U.S. Thank you! Questions? 8