WES Calls for State and Local Leaders to Continue to Focus on Economic Inclusion and Resiliency

NEW YORK, NY—(June 12, 2024) As of last Wednesday, the U.S. government capped asylum processing at the U.S.-Mexico border. The cap is well below the numbers of people who arrive daily from as far away as China, Africa, South America, and Europe.

World Education Services (WES) understands both the challenges and the untapped benefits that the ongoing influx of newcomers creates. We know that our collective ability to welcome immigrants, asylees, and others into state and local economies is key to our country’s future resiliency. That is why we partner with so many types of organizations—including nonprofits, municipalities, and state governments—to ensure the successful economic and social inclusion of immigrant and refugee talent into receiving communities.

At a time when global displacement is at an all-time high, and violence, persecution, and economic devastation forces individuals and families to migrate in hopes of survival and opportunity, this work is of utmost importance. U.S. immigration policies have not been updated by Congress in over three decades, creating challenges for those seeking safety, for businesses and industries seeking labor, and for communities. Meanwhile, our partners, many in places of the country with workforce shortages and declining populations, are focused on whole-community prosperity, building systems of inclusivity and resiliency that serve all residents, whether they are newcomers or U.S.-born.

Today, we celebrate the partners that are doing this hard and vital work. We know that despite changes in policy at the federal level, thousands of organizations, community leaders, and civil servants continue to drive the work of inclusion. They continue seeking to ensure that immigrants, asylees, and others are able to contribute their skills and labor to benefit communities across the U.S.

Today as every day, we at WES continue working to ensure that these communities benefit from the skills and talent newcomers bring. As these efforts continue, we encourage Congress and the federal government to enact humane and balanced policy reforms to address global displacement and the issues that many U.S. residents without a clear path to citizenship face. We know that the benefits immigrants bring to our communities help us as a nation build a prosperous future for us all.

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