Immigration reform has been a controversial issue in Washington, D.C., and around the country for years, but particularly since 2012. In that year, President Obama implemented, via executive order, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which allows undocumented immigrants under age 30 who entered the country as children to continue to live in the U.S. Coupled with the president’s November executive order to expand DACA and grant legal status to undocumented parents of U.S. citizens, these orders could allow almost half (5.2 million of 11.2 million, according to the Washington Post) of all illegal immigrants to live in the country legally.
In response, 25 states have issued a lawsuit against the president’s executive order, putting the measure in limbo, but regardless, growing national and congressional sentiment makes legalization and expanding immigration not matters of “if” but “when.”
The impact that reform will have and already has, is great today and will become more significant in upcoming years, making it a necessity for clubs to understand its implications.
The largest group impacting reform and America’s demographics is Hispanics. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 54 million Hispanics live in the U.S. composing roughly 17 percent of the total population. This ratio will grow in upcoming years as current immigration and demographic trends continue. Among generations, the population share Hispanics claim has grown steadily since the Baby Boom. The U.S. Census reports that for Boomers born in 1948, Hispanics make up 7 percent of the population. That share doubles to 14 percent for those born in 1965 (Generation X) and reaches a quarter of the population for those born within the last decade (Generation Z).
Hispanic workers will become the majority workforce by 2050 reports Pew, but not all of these workers will be immigrants. In fact, it is likely that most will not be born outside the U.S. Already the majority of Hispanic workers are born in America and as more than one million Hispanics turn 18 this year, says Geoscapes, a market intelligence firm, their share of the workforce will continue to grow. Also, as more emphasis is placed on raising the number of guest worker visas and the legalization process, Hispanic influence on the population and labor force can be expected to increase.
Although Hispanics are most often referenced in immigration discussions, millions of other individuals from a variety of countries impact reform and demographic trends. Immigrant communities live in parts of the country most people would be surprised to hear. For instance, Nashville’s immigrant population has boomed in recent years and hosts more Kurds than any other place in the U.S, commented panelists from National Journal’s “The Next America: Population 2043 Town Hall” in January. More Bosnians call St. Louis their home than anywhere else in the U.S, and Asians were the fastest growing demographic in the South from 2000 to 2010, increasing their population by 69 percent during the decade, reports Pew. And, across the country, school districts regularly teach and incorporate children from more than 100 countries who speak just as many languages, said the panel
Immigrants and multi-cultural families play a significant role in the affluent population. Eleven percent of affluents are immigrants. Hispanics represent 8 percent of the affluent population, and African Americans and Asians each make up 7 percent, says the 2014 Ipsos Affluent Survey USA. Seventeen percent of affluents speak a non-English language in their homes.
Immigrants are also more likely to start a business than nonimmigrants and have a higher business ownership rate than natives as well—10.5 percent versus 9.3 percent, reports the U.S. Small Business Administration. Further, much talk has been made about increasing America’s competitiveness on a global scale. Many tech giants like Microsoft and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg are campaigning to increase the number of high-skilled worker permits (H-1B visas) the U.S. issues. Given immigrants’ higher business ownership, and the realistic possibility of the H-1B visa cap being raised, the affluent immigrant population can be expected to continue its growth.
As the country considers creating an immigration plan that includes a pathway to citizenship and the possibility of increased worker permits, clubs must be aware and prepare for changes to their workforce and membership.