The United States comprises just 4% of the world’s population, yet it produces 25% of global Gross National Product (GNP), captures 65% of the world’s stock market value, provides the world’s reserve currency, and maintains the world’s strongest military. These achievements hinge on the strength of the U.S. economy, which depends on the continued growth and productivity of our workforce.
However, with birth rates below replacement levels and a shrinking domestic labor pool, the U.S. must rely on a robust legal immigration system to bridge the gap and ensure sustained economic growth.
The Challenge
In 2023, the foreign-born population in the U.S. exceeded 15% for the first time since the early 1920s. Historically, the political response to similar demographic shifts was to impose strict border controls, reducing the foreign-born population to just 5% by the early 1950s.
Today, we face a similar political climate, but our response must reflect modern realities. Unlike a century ago, the U.S. is suffering from low birth rates. Without immigration, our economic position and global leadership are at risk
ABIC Goals
- Securing the Border and Removing Convicted Felons
Ensuring a safe and orderly border is critical to maintaining public trust and upholding national security. Targeted efforts to remove individuals with criminal convictions strengthens our communities while enabling bipartisan support for broader immigration reforms. - Building a Competitive Legal Immigration System
A modern legal immigration system is vital to offset declining birth rates, enhance U.S. competitiveness, and drive economic growth. By attracting and retaining talent from around the world we can strengthen industries, create jobs, and secure America’s position as a global leader. - Humanely Address the Status of Unauthorized Immigrants: The approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S. should not be left in limbo. Most of these individuals, including Dreamers, farm workers, and essential workers have contributed to the country and should have an earned path to legal status..
The United States faces a pivotal moment. To maintain our economic dominance and global influence, we must address workforce challenges through immigration reform. ABIC’s balanced approach—combining border security with a forward-thinking legal immigration system—provides a path to shared prosperity and national strength.