To grow the workforce, one opportunity is through increased immigation. Currently, our immigration system is best defined by chaos. The rule of law is being undermined due to an immigration system that has insufficient tools and capacity to enforce current laws. Current U.S. immigration levels are driven by antiquated laws, modified by court decisions, and impaired by border security and immigration capabilities that result in the entry of many immigrants that effectively skirt the law. Based on 2018 and 2019 data, an estimated 10 to 12 million people living in the U.S. are “unauthorized” or are not residing in the U.S. legally[15]. In May 2022, a record number of individuals crossed the border illegally[16]. The current system serves no one well.
Other countries’ immigration systems range from those that have severe limits on immigration to those that have more accomodative immigration systems. However, those countries tend to have immigration systems that place a preference for individuals with the skills and abilities to meet worker shortages. A revision of immigration laws to secure the border and expand legal immigration that includes a preference for workers where the U.S. faces shortages can help address the growing shortage the U.S. faces.