The application has originated in the state of Texas, and seeks to grant work permits to people without documents in the United States so that they can fill vacant positions. They would be favored in activities such as gardening, manufacturing and services.
In the midst of continued economic growth in Texas, with the creation of thousands of jobs monthly, companies face difficulties in finding labor.
The state of Texas has 774,000 job openings, however, there are only 80 workers available for every 100 vacancies, according to data from the United States Chamber of Commerce.
At the national level, there are 9.5 million vacancies, but there are only 6.6 million unemployed.
Texas immigration reform advocates have suggested a solution to this labor problem. They propose that the Biden administration grant work permits to people who have resided in the country without documents for a long period.
This request is based on the labor contributions that these individuals have made during their stay in the United States, according to Juan Carlos Cerda, director of the American Business Immigration Coalition Action for Texas.
Expansion of Democratic laws and initiatives
The Biden administration has already implemented this measure with more than 1 million immigrants since 2021, taking advantage of a humanitarian immigration clause in federal law.
This initiative seeks to provide job stability to undocumented immigrants who have contributed to the country, offering them an opportunity to legally integrate into the workforce.
At a meeting held on Friday, community and business leaders from North Texas met to address this proposal, seeking to boost the state’s economy and resolve the worker shortage.
It is estimated that there are more than half a million undocumented immigrants in North Texas, according to data from New American Economy.
The worker shortage has also impacted costs for employers, like Adam Lampert, who has seen prices rise due to a lack of labor.
The director of Cambridge Caregivers, a home health service in Dallas-Fort Worth, attributes this increase in costs to immigration policies, highlighting the need for reform to avoid further repercussions on the economy.
Rick Ortiz, president of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, has pointed out the existence of numerous vacancies in sectors with a high presence of immigrant workers, such as landscaping, manufacturing and services.
Job growth in Texas continues to increase, with an increase of 18,900 jobs in January, raising the state’s labor base to 14,053,400.
According to Pia Orrenius, an economist at the Dallas Fed, the return of immigration to pre-pandemic levels might alleviate wage pressure and the tightening of the labor market.
With an aging workforce and low birth rate, future labor force growth in the United States is expected to depend largely on immigration.
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