In 2017, the Case Foundation which was created by Jean and Steve Case has a core set of four values: 1) Be entrepreneurial, 2) Collaborate and learn, 3) Experiment early and often and 4) Work smart, have fun and be humble. It supports impact investing and inclusive entrepreneurship. The book “Be Fearless” by Jean Case is described as a call to action if you strive to lead an extraordinary life and make a difference.

There are many ways to have influence and be proactive in the immigration space. For example, Federal regulations at 8CFRS§1292.1(a)(4) permit non-attorneys to represent aliens in certain venues, including immigration courts, which is a one-on-one dedication to making a difference. The U.S. Department of Justice supports a program titled the Recognition of Accreditation (R&A) Program https://www.justice.gov/eoir/recognition-and-accreditation-program. Organizations must submit a form when applying for or renewing accreditation of their “representatives.” The individuals who wish to be authorized as immigrant advocates can enroll in studies specializing in that field, such as the VISTA program offered by Villanova University.

The challenge for those who are willing is to pick up the immigration gauntlet, and diffuse the inaccurate assertions that immigrants steal jobs from American workers, are on welfare or on the “public dole,” are criminals, arms dealers, drug dealers, human traffickers, and do not want to work is unique and requires a different commitment. Even a quick summary “look-see” into legitimate reports summarized by the New American Economy (NAE) reflects millions of workers employed at immigrant-owned businesses. For example, 40.2 percent of 2016 Fortune 500 firms had at least one founder who either immigrated to the United States or was the child of immigrants. Those firms, in 2014 generated more than $4.8 trillion in revenue and employed 18.9 million people globally. Second generation Syrian immigrants included Steve Jobs who co-founded Apple, and second-generation Russian immigrant Sergey Brin who co-founded Google.

Immigrants reflect a microcosm of citizens in the United States—most are self-sufficient, others are not; most are without major medical infirmities, others are not; most pay federal, state, and local taxes, others do not, most are productive contributors to the economy, others are criminals or lazy and unproductive. NAE and other major organizations supports immigration reforms that will help the United States. Such reforms could include increasing quotas to ease employee shortages, allowing some foreign immigrant entrepreneurs to start businesses in the United States creating jobs and producing revenue. In addition, other improvements could include permitting pending immigration applicants and other pending status individuals to be employed, and pay taxes pending quick criminal background checks, encouraging the immigration of STEM refugees and applicants, reuniting family units, and prosecuting coyotes through treaty arrangement.

The immigration discrimination must start with a massive effort and commitment to reduce backlog and a groundswell of support.