Higher education is at its best and most essential when individuals – wherever they may be from – can come together to share knowledge and explore ideas. This is why learning and scholarship have always been grounded in the free movement of people across borders, and why the stakes are so high for higher education in the debate on immigration reform.
Simply put, higher education has no choice but to engage in that debate, because it will define not only what kind of immigration policy the United States constructs for the 21st century (and whether or not that policy works for higher education), but, perhaps even more importantly, what kind of face the United States presents to the world.
International educators, of course, stand closest to the day-to-day manifestations of a broken immigration system on a college campus: It’s the world-renowned scholar who can’t get back to his laboratory in the United States because of a security mix-up; the accomplished spouse of a foreign student who can’t continue his career in the United States for however many years his wife is here in an academic program; the pioneering scientist whose paper won’t be presented in the United States because she is stuck in a visa backlog; the entrepreneurial foreign graduate who can’t pursue his vision for a new business here because there’s no visa category that fits him.
International educators know countless stories like this. They reflect not just costs to individuals and academic departments, though those are enormous. They reflect serious, long-term costs to entire institutions, and by extension, to our communities and to the United States – costs in innovation, knowledge creation, and imagination lost to antiquated, dysfunctional laws and processes. These stories need to be told – to campus leaders, to members of Congress, to the American public – because they illustrate most clearly higher education’s direct stake in the immigration reform debate.
But higher education’s fate is also tied up with the broader immigration debate in the United States today, because it is accepted wisdom that a comprehensive legislative proposal is the most likely vehicle to emerge for the provisions involving high-skilled immigration that most concern higher education. Various stakeholders might like to carve out solutions for their particular issue, but it is clear that none of the specific immigration challenges the United States faces can be addressed effectively without also addressing the others. So we are in this together – with those who are concerned about border security; with those concerned about undocumented immigrants; and with others concerned about attracting global talent.
Indeed the higher education community must recognize, and articulate, the broader ways in which a dysfunctional immigration system harms the academy, well beyond H-1B caps or green card backlogs. It is the harm done by xenophobic, fear-driven policymaking that does not reflect the values of Americans; by a harsh and ineffective approach to border security; and by congressional inertia that keeps the United States stalled in an outmoded immigration policy that ignores the reality of global mobility. In these ways, the immigration debate has enormous implications for higher education’s ability to attract teachers, scholars, and students from around the world and to fulfill its educational mission of creating a global space for learning for all students.
On April 26, individuals at 300 institutions participated in a NAFSA teleconference on the basics of how higher education can engage on immigration reform. View a recording of that event, and find out more about how you can be a voice for immigration reform at www.ConnectingOurWorld.org/speakout.
In my opinion, when I think of education and the fact that everyone should have access to it and the opportunity to receive one;makes immigration reform a topic of interest. Many may think that those fleeing their country and entering into the US should not have the same opportunities as those born here. I think under the circumstances in which people come here, an education is a neccessity and if one comes into this country for the right reasons; then they should be able to attend.
Tightening the leash on foreign immigration can be counter-productive to the cause of higher education, especially in a country like the United States which built a world class education system by allowing the best and the brightest from around the world, access to its universities and colleges.
David, i agree with you in a sense that everyone that participates in education can be a benefit to society. I despise those that want to immigrate and do nothing, commit crimes, and etc. Those who come to the US to make a better life and take advantage of furthering their education is a plus. It shows their children and other loved ones tenacity and perserverance.
The Good, the bad, and the ugly
Yokira and David, I agree with both of you about the issue of immigration. People who come to the US or any other advanced country for educational reasons should not be blocked by immigration policies that need to be examined for its effectiveness first. Needless to say, that America was built by immigrants of all kinds that included the good, the bad, and the ugly. When you compare the immigrants for education you can almost be certain that you are getting only the good ones regardless whether they go back after finishing their education or they stay and contribute positively to the community at large.
It is very comforting to see some reason and well thought out proposal being presented, when higher education stake immigration. Your post includes material of interest and eye-opening thought; I think it’s mostly seeing that there is need to be globally educated no matter what profession one is in.
Regards for Posting…
http://www.one-visa.com/
The integration of globalization has affected all aspects of our lives including the higher education community. The immigration system does affect who our learner’s are however; there are also international students that choose to attend universities outside of their native country. We can be change agents as educators and bring this issue to the forefront on the macro level through advocating immigration legislation, on the meso level through adding diversity topics to the curriculum and on the micro level by teaching diversity in our classroom. The increasing development of technology is opening new avenues for educators to explore that can aide in reaching diverse student populations.
I agree 100% and most certainly if you wanted to reap the benefits of globalization you have to be a global citizen. There is a great economic opportunity in internationalization of higher education. Whether we outreach to the world or we in-take education immigrants; we have to improve out cultural awareness not only to be able to function in a multicultural environment, but to be able to create this cultural diversity in our classrooms as educators. Many of our international student will come with their biases and stay in the US for some years, and unfortunately they go back without acquiring any positive change. I do not mean by any chance that they have to become Amercanized, but they should start seeing the world with a different lens.
Best regards
Your statements are very true. Recently I traveled to a foreign country and was able to immerse myself in the language and culture of the country. In the beginning it was scary not being able to communicate my needs such as ordering food. As time went on I began enjoying the country’s customs and beliefs. As part of internationalizing higher education and encouraging multicultural awareness, I recommend offering students a semester abroad. What better way to learn about diversity than through personal experience.
Best regar
Prior to obtaining my green card I had been an international student for 7 years here. From a personal experience I can say that this was period had a profound impact on me and my beliefs and it changed me tremendously. During this period, I got the opportunity to get to know myself. You don’t really know yourself until you get to see it through somebody else’s eyes. This is what happened to me during this period. Before coming to the States I only saw the world through my own (or my cultures’ biases) lenses, but this experience allowed me to gain other perspectives and that made me change my perspectives and views on so many issues. Although it was the most difficult time of my life, I would not change it for the world. I only wish every person (especially those who make and decide policies) in this globe had the same opportunity I had. Can you imagine how wonderful our world would be, if everybody stepped out of their little own reality and narrow beliefs and got the opportunity to interact with people of different cultures, views, and/or beliefs? One comes out of an such experience a changed person! Who benefits from that? …
[...] Higher Education’s Stake in the Immigration Reform Debate(nafsa.org) [...]
[...] is not enough to keep the United States competitive in this global economy. Ultimately, we need comprehensive immigration reform to make United States more open, accessible, and attractive to the world’s best talent and future [...]