H1b1 Visa Holders To Revive Camden

Skilled Immigrants Can Revive Camden By Michael McAteer
Where billions of dollars and forty years of programs have failed, a stroke of the pen, at no more cost to taxpayers than the cost of ink, can transform urban blight into urban might.
A jobs and business generator. The "4-U.S." Visa: Inner City and Business Friendly.

Since the degradation of the high-tech economy, H-1B visa holders are threatened daily with deportation to their home countries. Many have already been deported. Highly skilled immigrants such as H-1B visa holders are some of the best-educated, hardest working, honest and family oriented people in the world.

The explosion of creativity in the areas of technology and biomedicine that drove our economy through some of its best years was due mainly to their efforts. Now they are being ignominiously discarded without any regard for their past contributions or potential for continual contribution. H-1b visa holders are a valuable national resource that should be preserved and can play as pivotal a role in the rebirth of urban areas such as Camden as they did in the birth of Silicon Valley.

Leading immigration rights organizations that fight for H-1b visa holders have been contacted. The Camden Land and Dream proposal is an adjustment to the H-1b regulations that would create a new visa leading to citizenship, that would allow highly educated workers and their families to stay in the country if they agreed to purchase homes, live and work in designated distressed areas. Not sure how this idea would go over, since the current and deported H1b population has already lived the American Dream under the best conditions in the finest neighborhoods, leading H1b organizations were contacted for their input. ( Unlike the H1b visa, this proposed visa is not strictly employment contingent. It will be available to those investing or teaching in distressed cities as well as working and residing within the city limits.)

The immigration rights organizations intuitively felt it was a good idea, researched their constituency and found that a very large number would rather move to places like Camden and contribute to community building than be deported.

Camden Land and Dream believes it is possible with a bipartisan effort at the Federal level, (introduced by NJ senators and Rep.’s) within the new constraints imposed by homeland security concerns. Restricting the initial phase to just two cities as prototypes (one selected by Republicans and one ((Camden)) selected by Democrats) ensures that the H-1b holders who qualify do not disperse nationally but are concentrated in enough numbers at selected sites to reach an effective critical mass.

With them would come human capital; technical, economic and social. Successful implementation will "grow the economy" - generate numerous high paying local jobs while providing additional revenue for the state.

Tech companies are known to be attracted to areas of pooled talent and could be drawn to Camden. Much economic capital has been built up in the H-1b / Skilled Immigrant community already. Having an economically viable, self-sustaining population come to Camden in large enough numbers would reduce the ratio of poor to self-sustained populations, which is one root of Camden’s problems. It could jump-start a strong middle class presence.

The social capital has value in that it puts isolated Camden residents within the horizon of those who are already networked to the mainstream and creates social bridging opportunities for ambitious city residents, as well as proximity to companies that may move to the city to access the H-1b talent pool. Also, H-1b residents will have a vested interest in improving the conditions of the neighborhoods they live in, and the capacity to do so.

Where billions of dollars and forty years of programs have failed, a stroke of the pen, at no more cost to taxpayers than the cost of ink, can transform urban blight into urban might.

Opponents of the current H1b1 visa have an arguable case whether it takes jobs from American workers or not. However, no one can argue that this proposed modification will take jobs from qualified Americans. Absolutely no well off and educated Americans are vying to work and live in American inner cities.

Also, restricting this program to only two cities allows the homeland security people to conserve resources and get an in-focus picture of these well meaning and highly desirable residents before considering expanding the program. During the point of inception and expansion Camden could swiftly capitalize on its unique position and build a sizable and talented H-1b pool. Participating in this program should be a track for eventual full citizenship for those who so desire.

From Harvard:
Harvard University economist Edward Glaeser has provided ample empirical evidence that firms gather in particular regions to gain advantages from common labor pools. Nobel prize-winning economist Robert Lucas maintains that the driving force in the growth and development of cities and regions can be found in the productivity gains associated with the clustering of talented people.

Jan 2, 2007 Corzine approves $50 million for a biomedical research facility at Rutgers-Camden.

Jan 14, 2007 Chinese-born scientists working overseas are at the forefront of a new wave of foreign investment in China. After two decades of pouring billions of dollars into factories, a growing number of multinational companies like Novartis are establishing research beachheads in the Asian nation.

January 22,2007 Mumbai's Rajshri Media, which boasts 700 pieces of entertainment content online, targets wealthy expatriates.
By Joe Leahy, Financial Times
January 22, 2007

1/23/07Have you hugged a (legal) immigrant today? Go ahead. You should. Those innovating immigrants By Porus P. Cooper South Jersey Commentary Editor, Philadelphia Inquirer

1/23/07 Phila. Inquirer A growing trend: Center City families
Newcomers are well-educated, affluent and young. The challenge will be keeping them.

Hourly wages for highly skilled technology professionals rose at varying levels during the fourth quarter of 2006, but showed significant improvement by the end of the year compared to the same period in 2005.

According to the latest Yoh Index of Technology Wages, the quarterly compensation index used by Fortune 500 companies to determine salary scales, technology wages experienced a 1.2 percent increase by mid-quarter, and ended in December with a 3.1 percent increase, when compared to the same months in 2005.