Kuster Talks Immigration Reform in Nashua

Submitted by the Office of U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster:

Continuing her push for comprehensive immigration reform, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) today convened a roundtable discussion about how modernizing the immigration system can bolster America’s innovation economy. During the roundtable, Kuster met with Nashua business leaders to discuss the need for an immigration system that attracts highly skilled workers from around the world, and the importance of allowing foreign-born students educated in the USA to grow businesses and create jobs here in America instead of taking their businesses abroad.

“Our country continues to attract some of the best and brightest minds from across the globe, many of whom plan to start their own businesses and hire American workers. Yet we make it difficult for them to remain here and do just that,” Kuster said. “In order to nurture America’s next generation of innovators, we must make it easier for highly skilled workers to come to our country, build companies, and lend their talents to the American economy.”

Throughout the discussion, Kuster also expressed her commitment to providing America’s students and next generation of workers with the skills they need to compete in the 21st Century job market, and she outlined her work to expand investments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs. Kuster has long supported increased investment in STEM education for American students.

“We were thrilled to have Congresswoman Kuster here with us to talk about reform of U.S. immigration policy,” said Rajesh Mishra, founder and CEO of Parallel Wireless, a Nashua company that hosted Monday’s roundtable. “Because Parallel Wireless operates in a global market, sometimes a critical hire with specific background experience may not be a U.S. citizen.  These hires can be critical to our growth.”

As a member of the U.S. House Small Business Committee, Kuster has worked consistently to reform the immigration system to boost the economy. Earlier this month, she called on House Speaker John Boehner to prioritize consideration of immigration reform legislation. And in January, Kuster released her Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Agenda, a blueprint that outlines common sense, bipartisan steps to help create jobs in New Hampshire. The agenda includes passage of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, which would comprehensively reform our immigration system, create a new STEM education fund, and help New Hampshire businesses recruit highly skilled workers to help grow businesses in the United States.