Page 90 - August 2015 Life In Naples Magazine

“THE QUIET QUEST:Professionals Seeking Citizenship:” a four-part series
THEY ARE COMING: Part One
T he fact that many foreign-born professionals
are legally seeking admission to the USA is one
aspect of the fractious debate on immigration
that is often overlooked. It is important, as the debate
surely becomes more rancorous and divisive in the days
ahead, that their importance and their contributions be
considered and put into context.
As Neil Diamond wrote and sang in 1980, the data
is clear. More folks are moving to SWFL to enrich
by Mike Reagen our communities. FGCU’s Dr. Gary Jackson shares
data that by 2015 our six-county [Charlotte, Collier,
Citizen Member Editorial Board Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota] regional population
will total 1,769,438 people. Lee County’s economic
“Everywhere development Office’s recently reported a net total of
around the 5,242 moved to Lee from nine U.S. States plus Florida.
world, They’re Three percent came from foreign countries and their
impact is considerable.
coming to
America. Ev’ry While foreign borns’share of total U.S. population in
2011 was almost 40.8 million or 13 percent of our 313.0
million, between 2011 and 2012, another 1.1 percent or
time that flag’s 447,000 came to our nation. Today, 15.3 percent of Lee
County’s population of 661,115 and 23.6% of Collier
unfurled, County’s population of 339,642 are foreign born.
They’re
Much debate, of course, is focused on the influx of
coming to less-skilled foreign borns coming to the USA to work in
”America!
our agriculture, hospitality, manufacturing, construction
–Neil Diamond, 1980 industries. But we should also focus on the positive
impact of foreign borns on physical science, computer
science, business and health care, jobs requiring higher
education and training. The incomes of those foreign-
born naturalized citizens exceed noncitizen incomes by
60%. They pay more taxes, buy more goods and services
and make other contributions to our GNP.
Foreign-born citizens add significantly to our
well-being. According to William A. Kandel, U.S.
Congressional Research Service Analyst, in recent
years, foreign-borns contributed to nearly 30% of
recent U.S. Population growth. More than two-thirds
of the foreign-borns serving in our armed forces
are naturalized citizens. The 44,705 members of the
U.S. Armed Forces who were naturalized citizens in
February 2008 represent 68% percent of the 65,033
foreign-borns serving in the U.S. Military, says Jeanne
Batalova, Senior Policy Analyst at the Migration
Policy Institute.
Foreign-born citizens also help keep Social
Security and Medicare solvent and pay other local,
state and U.S. taxes. They often create their own jobs
and own businesses which, in turn create jobs for
other Americans. They well integrate into our local
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communities by their educational, home ownerships
and increased living standard advances. And,
increasingly, they come here to study.
“Foreign students have long sought education in
the United States, but shifting economic fortunes
have quickened the flow and titled the demographics
younger” says Michael Alison Chandler in a recent
Washington Post article.
“At a time when many ‘Made in the USA’ products
struggle in the global marketplace, American diplomas
are more coveted than ever. More than 650,000
international students were enrolled in U.S. colleges
and universities in 2009, fueling a nearly $18 billion
international education industry. Federal government
data show that 35,000 foreign students attend primary
or secondary schools in the United States, not including
one-year cultural exchange programs or short-term
language courses,” Chandler said.
Devon Haynie, education reporter for US News,
recently wrote that, “The United States enrolled the
highest number of international students in its history
during the 2012-2013 school year, welcoming 819,644
undergraduate and graduate students to colleges and
universities throughout the country.”
There are now 40 percent more international students
studying in the U.S. than 10 years ago, according to the
report by the Institute of International Education [IIE].
The influx of foreign students boosts the U.S. an
economic, says the IIE, adding approximately $24
billion to the U.S. economy and, according to the
Association for International education, helped create
300,000 jobs in 2011-2012.
Few of these students get scholarships from U.S.
universities. About 72 percent of international students
receive most of their funds from personal and family
sources or from their home country governments or
universities, the IIE reports.
Also, according to the National Association of
International Educators [NAFSA], foreign students
contributed helped create 300,000 jobs in 2011-2012.
In fact, over the last three years the international
student population has been increasing and today there
are 764,495 international students in the US.
And many of our well-educated foreign-born
citizens who have studied here have powerful, varied
stories and strong opinions. We asked several who are
Collier County citizens to share both. We asked them
why and how they came here and what advice they
would give to others, including our policy makers.
November: Their Stories.
Life in Naples | August • September • October 2015