Why I Care About Public Policy

Why Immigration Reform Is Necessary to Boost Business

By Sara Garces Roselli

Imagine: you are an expert in your field. People in your building constantly quote you, court you for advice, and are impressed with your work. Then, you go across the street to a building that wants your help, but security won’t let you in. You are denied entry because one of your seven documents didn’t have the right signature. “Turn around” says security; even though your work could transform this building into a powerhouse.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Immigration reform has a bigger impact on our business community-even on our quality of life- than people expect. The importance immigration reform plays in doing business should not be ignored. These are a few thoughts that are often overlooked when thinking about the immigration debate and why I care about this public policy.

Raising the Quality of Ideas:
Building a multicultural workforce encourages open-mindedness and improves the amount and quality of ideas. It is amazing the difference of ideas and perspectives between a person born and raised in Charlotte, NC and one born and raised in Japan. On the flip side, it is just as fascinating to see what ideas and perspectives are similar. If immigration reform is overlooked, these critical interactions between two cross cultural people may never happen. We cannot afford to lose this idea exchange in our businesses.

Getting and Growing the Best Talent:
Talent and the ability to create something special do not come with physical boundaries, or a nationality. For a business owner like myself, I want to be able to look for the best talent anywhere in the world. And those who want to be a part of something great should be able to revel in the fact that they are not bound to their immediate surroundings. Immigration reform enables businesses to attract those who can produce the kind of results that can change the business community and the world. With these new team members, businesses are able to improve the economy, which therefore makes this nation a better place to live. Who doesn’t want that?

Dropping a Common Misconception:
Though the biggest immigration surge is coming from the Hispanic segment, it has been difficult for all multicultural segments to contribute to the U.S. business community. Whether the talent is coming from Colombia or Russia, both have faced enormous amounts of red tape and unnecessary procedure to work in our country. I believe that the business community needs to rally around immigration as a whole and not limit this issue to a specific community. Ignoring the fact that our country was founded by immigrants and limiting legal entrance for all impacts all business owners, in the U.S. and abroad.

As business leaders and advocates of fair, efficient public policy, we must continue pushing forward immigration reform in an effort to bring the highest quality of ideas and the best talent inside our borders with a legal and speedy process.


Sara Garces is the President of RED F Marketing, a full-service marketing agency located in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information, visit www.redf.com or contact Dwayne Waite, media relations at dwaite@redf.com.