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The Virtual March on Washington for Immigration
Mon, 02/25/2013 - 11:56 — adminWall Street Journal
February 25, 2013
This is the year when immigration reform might happen, but leaders in the technology industry distrust politicians enough not to take chances. A group of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists is launching a "virtual march on Washington. They will be using the Internet and social media to argue for making the U.S. more welcoming of skilled workers.
The website launching Monday, www.MarchforInnovation.com, aims to harness the digital activism that last year killed overbroad antipiracy legislation with millions of emails and tweets as well as hundreds of websites that went blank in protest. The immigration-reform effort is the brainchild of the Partnership for a New American Economy, founded by New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg. It has support from people like AOL founder Steve Case and venture capitalist Fred Wilson. It will use an online campaigning tool called Thunderclap, which can deliver thousands of Twitter and Facebook posts simultaneously, with the idea of forcing Washington to focus on the issue.
John Feinblatt, chief policy adviser to Mr. Bloomberg, says the idea came from "technology leaders wanting to use technology to change the debate." In the old days, groups would hire a lobbyist. Now the plan is to get millions of people to use the MarchforInnovation site and social media. "The immigration debate focuses on the borders and the 11 million undocumented workers, but not enough on the future flow of workers," Mr. Feinblatt says. "The debate should be about jobs, attracting the best and brightest, and creating a robust legal regime to allow skilled immigrants."
Our Dated Immigration Policies Could Torpedo the Tech Economy
Mon, 02/25/2013 - 11:46 — adminWired
February 25, 2013
It’s an iPad and smartphone world. Yet we’re stuck with an immigration system formed in the age of black-and-white TVs.
Whereas the success of yesterday’s Fortune 500 companies — like U.S. Steel and Amoco — once depended on resources, today’s Fortune 500 companies — like Google and eBay — depend on access to talent. Even so, there’s been no substantive reform of our immigration laws for nearly 50 years. It’s now more difficult than ever for foreign-born workers to come, contribute, and thrive in the United States.
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We must create an immigration system that fits the needs of a 21st century economy. We must attract and retain the world’s brightest minds and hardest workers. But before we can do that, we need Congress to act.
Silicon Valley in immigration reform call
Sun, 02/24/2013 - 20:22 — adminFinancial Times
February 24, 2013
A coalition of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and social media experts will on Monday launch a campaign for comprehensive immigration reform, which will culminate in a “virtual march” on Washington in April.
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They are being co-ordinated by the Partnership for a New American Economy, a bipartisan group of mayors and business leaders headed by New York’s Michael Bloomberg. They are launching the March for Innovation on Monday to start building momentum for comprehensive immigration reform, which President Barack Obama has put at the top of his legislative agenda.
Highly Skilled Immigrants a Key to America's Future
Wed, 02/20/2013 - 11:12 — adminFox Business
February 19, 2013
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Many immigrants who come to the U.S. start new businesses and create jobs. In fact, a 2011 report by the Partnership for a New American Economy found that 90 companies (18%) of Fortune 500 were founded by people who were foreign born. When one includes the children of immigrants, the figure skyrockets to 40 percent. In fact, some of America's best known brands, including AT&T, Budweiser, Ford, GE, Mattel, McDonald’s, P&G, and The Walt Disney Company, were created by immigrants or their children. Additionally, the new generation of technology powerhouses on the Fortune 500 list — Apple, Google, Intel, eBay, Yahoo!, Sun, and Qualcomm — were all founded by immigrants. Further, growing fields, like semiconductors and medical devices, are full of immigrant-founded companies.
American corporations started by immigrants or their children employ more than 10 million people worldwide. Meanwhile, the revenue generated by Fortune 500 companies founded by immigrants or children of immigrants is greater than the GDP of every country except the U.S., China and Japan, according to the Partnership for a New American Economy report.
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Immigration law is outdated
Wed, 02/20/2013 - 10:48 — adminCincinnati Enquirer
February 20, 2013
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There are literally thousands of high-skilled jobs in the United States that need to be filled so our economy can start moving again. Unfortunately, our universities have a deficit of science, technology, engineering and math graduates who are able to take on these roles. We need these foreign-born students to come and fill the gaps. If we don’t allow them to live and work here for U.S. companies, there is no doubt they will move to another country and work for a competing company.
Among these foreign-born students graduating from American colleges, a large number are innovators and entrepreneurs. According to a study done by the Partnership for a New American Economy, immigrants are twice as likely to start new businesses, and economists agree that startups create the vast majority of American jobs. However, these jobs disappear if the graduate cannot get a visa to stay and keep the business running in the U.S. If we do not reform our immigration system, we will continue to lose out on thousands of new jobs every year.
Bipartisan Maine group urges Susan Collins, Angus King to take lead on immigration reform
Tue, 02/19/2013 - 20:05 — adminBangor Daily News
February 19, 2013
Two Republican lawmakers, a Democratic former House speaker, a union member and business representatives joined in an effort Tuesday to pressure Maine’s U.S. senators, independent Angus King and Republican Susan Collins, to take leadership roles in crafting a bipartisan immigration reform package in Congress.
At a State House news conference, the group asked Collins and King to sign onto the immigration reform principles favored by the Partnership for a New American Economy, a national group chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch and a handful of other business leaders and big-city mayors.
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Julian Castro urges Congress to act on immigration: ‘America is watching’
Tue, 02/05/2013 - 16:22 — adminHouston Chronicle
February 5, 2013
At the first immigration-reform hearing of this Congress, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro urged House Republicans to take quick action on family-based and high-skilled visas — and also advocated for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
“America is watching,” Castro said. “Let’s get this done.”
The hearing by the House Judiciary Committee was held a week after a bipartisan group of senators unveiled an immigration reform plan and President Barack Obama urged Congress to act.
Why Silicon Valley Needs Immigration Reform
Thu, 01/31/2013 - 17:03 — adminFox Business
January 31, 2013
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The U.S. could keep graduate students here to create new jobs, new companies and, in some cases, new industries, said John Feinblatt, chairman of the Partnership for a New American Economy.
"We've got to face the fact that other countries are rolling out the red carpet for workers and we're not," Feinblatt said. Laws limiting the number of skilled employees allowed to work in the U.S. hamper the ability of some companies to grow, particularly in technology, and the nation misses out on a considerable ripple effect in wealth, according to Mr. Feinblatt.
The Partnership for a New American Economy is a bipartisan group of mayors and business leaders from all sectors of the economy. The organization, whose members include Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Chief Executive Steven Ballmer, Boeing Co. (BA) Chairman and CEO Jim McNerney and News Corp. (NWSA) Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, has studied the issue together with the conservative American Enterprise Institute.
Hatch wants more visas for skilled immigrants
Wed, 01/30/2013 - 19:03 — adminSalt Lake Tribune
January 29, 2013
A new immigration bill led by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, would greatly increase the number of foreign-born scientists and engineers who are allowed to live and work here.
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[Overstock.com President Jonathan] Johnson said his company is always looking for engineers and software developers and can’t find enough domestically, which has slowed the company’s growth.
"Frankly, they are hard to find and it makes no sense to me that we bring the world’s best and brightest here," he said. "We educate them, train them and then force them to leave the country and compete against us."
Obama Backs 'Startup Visas' For Foreign-Born Tech Entrepreneurs In Immigration Speech
Wed, 01/30/2013 - 14:31 — adminHuffington Post
January 30, 2013
President Obama on Tuesday called on Congress to create a special visa category that allows foreign-born entrepreneurs who launch successful startups to remain in the country.
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Obama's speech was praised by supporters of a startup visa.
His speech "shows that there is broad support to modernize our immigration system in a way that helps grow our economy and attract the world’s most talented and hardest-working," said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is co-chair of the Partnership For A New American Economy, a coalition of mayors and business leaders who support immigration reform.
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