DHS Policies Must Change So That U.S. Immigration Policy Can Spark Economy And Attract Entrepreneurs

Online, August 11, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Earlier this week the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas announced a series of policy initiatives designed to "fuel the nation's economy and stimulate investment" by attracting foreign entrepreneurs who can create jobs and form start up companies. This followed the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness meeting in Palo Alto, CA, which included a number of Silicon Valley CEOs who highlighted the need for immigration reform because the struggling U.S. economy needs more entrepreneurs and highly skilled workers who can help to create jobs.

"While it is encouraging that DHS and USCIS recognize that immigrant entrepreneurs are a key to continued growth in America's economy, it is imperative that the policies easing the requirements for them be changed throughout the chain-of-command and reach the adjudicators of visa applications", said Atlanta immigration lawyer Karen Weinstock, "Because right now we have one of the strictest adjudication policies that directly prevent foreign entrepreneurs from establishing businesses here", added the Atlanta immigration attorney.

"An Entrepreneur from India or China who owns a majority share in a U.S. company that employs other Americans is prohibited under current DHS policies from obtaining an H-1B visa", explained the Georgia Immigration attorney. "And since there is no investment or trade treaty with neither India nor China, DHS is killing pretty much the only option for nationals of these countries, as well as others, which is something they could have prevented by merely changing their policies", added Karen Weinstock, immigration attorney in Atlanta and the managing attorney of the Atlanta Immigration Law Firm Siskind Susser.

"Actually, a new report by the Partnership for a New American Economy, entitled The "New American" Fortune 500, finds that immigrants founded 18 percent of all Fortune 500 companies, generating $1.7 trillion in annual revenue and employing 3.7 million workers worldwide. This report shows that this is evidence of how immigrants create American jobs and drive our economy, but the U.S. immigration system often forces immigrant entrepreneurs away, instead of welcoming them, which is a shame", added the Atlanta Immigration attorney Karen Weinstock.

"Most hurdles to bring immigrant entrepreneurs to the U.S. or make them stay are the fault of our broken immigration system, very restrictive criteria and not enough flexibility but DHS and especially USCIS should take a large part of the blame because of their strict adjudication policies, which is something that would be very welcome if they actually change what is in their power to", concluded the Georgia immigration lawyer.