Immigrants and immigration are central to America’s economic prosperity. They make up nearly 20% of the labor force and help fill critical gaps in industries such as healthcare, agriculture, and construction.

Immigrants are also essential to maintaining U.S. leadership in cutting-edge fields like semiconductor manufacturing and biomedical research—industries vital to both our economic and national security. Nearly one in five workers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are immigrants.

Yet today, millions of immigrants with work authorization are at risk of losing their legal status and being removed from the workforce. Others are fearful of showing up at their jobs for fear of deportation. Millions more are blocked from coming in the future, depriving our country of the dynamism that comes from being the top destination for talent from around the world. Continuing down this path will raise costs for American families, drive talent in critical industries overseas, and push sectors like manufacturing and construction to the breaking point.