We Support the Gang of Eight

Last week was a packed one for news junkies, as the both print and web media tracked stories about a failed gun regulation bill, a Texas fertilizer explosion, and Monday’s tragedy followed by Friday’s manhunt. Buried amid the mildly anarchic pandemonium was a lede quite different than the other tragedies and misfortunes—a proposal that will actually have a net positive effect on the world. A bipartisan group of four Republicans and four Democrats called the Gang of Eight released its plan for comprehensive immigration reform. This measure, whose full rollout has been delayed in the wake of the Boston bombings, pushes for a pathway to citizenship for the nation’s undocumented workers, a commitment to secure borders, and expansion of visas for workers proven to be beneficial to the country’s economy. We find this approach to be intelligent, pragmatic, and just.

It goes without saying that the state of American immigration system is shambolic. The nation is home to 11 million undocumented immigrants, a disagreeable situation that tears apart families and leaves many businesses in the lurch. The time for the United States to adopt sensible immigration policy is now.

The case for granting citizenship to the country’s aliens is well worn. A so-called amnesty plan is not just humane; it also promises to add currently maligned manpower to the sputtering economy. In fact, bolstering America’s economic backbone is a key factor in the Gang of Eight’s new initiative. The recently released proposal calls for the expansion of both merit-based visas and H-1B visas for skilled workers. The status quo, which amounts to a pernicious cap on the amount of skilled workers currently allowed entrance into the country, is one of the most overlooked retardants to economic growth. Each year only 65,000 workers are permitted to come here and fill holes in American businesses. If Congress and President Obama accept the Gang of Eight’s proposal, this number will thankfully increase to 110,000, with the potential to reach up to 180,000 depending on the demand for visas and the unemployment outlook.

Harvard has long been a fountainhead for support of immigration reform. President Drew Gilpin Faust is an outspoken leader in the campaign for the DREAM Act, which would provide citizenship for undocumented immigrants who attend college or serve in the armed forces. This makes sense. Harvard students will benefit from the inevitable economic boon that will accompany an increase in skilled labor. Sympathetic students will be able to sleep soundly after the newfound pathway to legal residency eases the plight of those living in fear of deportation. Harvard, like any other university, counts several such students among its undergraduates, and facilitating a way for them to contribute to our nation as American citizens is a smart move in the increasingly competitive global workforce.

We want America to succeed—to grow and prosper as it has done since its historic founding. We should not forget that this nation was settled by immigrants, founded by immigrants, and built by immigrants. We strongly believe that a thoughtful immigration policy is crucial to ensuring the continuation of American greatness. Last week’s announcement was a great first step. Hopefully, this measure does not follow the path of the Senate’s recent gun regulation imbroglio. In this case, it is absolutely necessary that reasonable governance triumph.