Labor Force Growth By 2050 Will Come Mostly From Immigrants

Labor Force Growth Will Come From Immigrants
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 26: Newly naturalized American citizens celebrate after taking the Oath of Allegiance to the United States on July 26, 2013 in New York City. Eighty immigrants from 47 countries took part in a naturalization ceremony held at the New York Historical Society. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 26: Newly naturalized American citizens celebrate after taking the Oath of Allegiance to the United States on July 26, 2013 in New York City. Eighty immigrants from 47 countries took part in a naturalization ceremony held at the New York Historical Society. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Recent polling shows that 72% of voters in the US consider immigration a net positive for the country but it’s not clear whether Congress has gotten the message. While the Senate passed a strong immigration reform bill last month, the House of Representatives seems less eager to act, and probably won’t produce a bill for weeks if not months.

While the federal government dithers and fumbles, metropolitan areas have to step up on immigration. Metros—collections of economically related cities and suburbs led by networks of elected, civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders—are on the front lines of immigration. Some 85% of the nation’s foreign-born are living in just the 100 largest metropolitan areas.

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