A new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy suggests that despite the U.S. immigration system’s sluggishness and political obstacles, the border crisis presents an opportunity to address the gaps in the American labor market.

The report draws on interviews with immigration scholars, lawyers, and psychologists and provides further insight into the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border while also offering potential solutions.

According to the researchers, the system’s slow response to migrant surges is due to a lack of capacity to process the influx of people, primarily because of the government’s limited resources allocated to the southern border.

Needed reform

Despite public support for immigration reform, the report highlights the “profound divisions between Democrats and Republicans” that have hindered legislative action. Democrats prioritize creating paths to legal status for immigrants, particularly children, while Republicans prioritize border security and the deportation of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. The outcome has been political paralysis, with few alternatives available for dealing with the crisis, as per the report’s findings.

The report concludes that addressing labor shortages in the American market is a potential solution to the border crisis. However, it acknowledges the political realities and suggests that any reform will require bipartisan cooperation and a willingness to compromise.

“With Democrats losing their majority in the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections, the chances of Congress passing any significant pro-immigrant legislation have diminished,” the authors explain. “Furthermore, the Republican majority on the Supreme Court makes legal challenges on immigration policies taken by the executive branch without congressional action more likely.”

The interviews conducted for the report also highlighted a more fundamental concern – the current immigration system is ill-suited to address the labor market demands in the United States.

“The border crisis represents an opportunity to address gaps in the U.S. labor market, particularly in light of current demographic changes in the country,” the researchers conclude. “As the U.S. population ages and fertility rates decrease, labor shortages are deepening. Although evidence shows that immigrants represent up to 70% of its labor force in some economic sectors, the U.S. government has failed to connect the dots.”