Editorial: Students to gain from shifts in immigration policy

Recently proposed changes in immigration law could provide a path to proper documentation for students who have earned degrees, benefiting both themselves and the American economy.

President Barack Obama’s plan, presented days after Congress unveiled a similar bipartisan proposal, outlines solutions for immigrant students to stay in the country whether they have the legal documentation to live here or not.

The president outlined four keys to reform: strengthening border security, enforcing penalties on companies that hire undocumented workers, establishing a path to earning citizenship, and streamlining the immigration process for those who are in the country legally.

For legal immigrants, the president proposed a mutually beneficial incentive: granting permanent residence to foreign students pursuing graduate studies in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics upon completion of a degree program.

This will encourage STEM students to stay in the United States, and the country can reap the benefits of having a larger workforce in a field crucial to economic prosperity. Moreover, contributing to STEM companies and research can potentially increase jobs in those fields not only for students, but across the board.

In addition to helping legal immigrants, the plan calls for students whose parents brought them to the country illegally to have an expedited path to citizenship.

Currently, undocumented students who graduate from UCLA face the reality that their degrees do them no good when it comes to finding jobs, unless they obtain a visa or green card. Students are just one demographic of undocumented immigrants with the potential to improve our economy, but who constantly face the challenge of work in the U.S.

Since the proposed changes would also crack down on companies that violate legal hiring practices, undocumented graduates will be funneled toward legitimate careers and face less exploitation in the job market.

For students who came to the U.S. with aspirations of staying here, their dreams may soon be realized. The president and Congress should both be commended for arriving at common-sense solutions to problems that must be acted upon for the benefit of this country and all its residents.

After the California Dream Act and Obama’s deferred action program, these proposals are the next logical step. We are pleasantly surprised that the president and Congress agree that this issue deserves attention. We hope they avoid the partisan bickering that has prevented similar legislation from passage before.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board.