Georgia needs Dreamers

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

I am interested in helping these Dreamers move forward with their lives, whether that means transitioning into jobs, technical colleges or universities.

Why? Because we need them.

We need them in our workforce. We need them in our manufacturing facilities. We need them in agriculture around the state of Georgia. We need them in our communities.

These young people, who come from diverse cultural backgrounds, are eager to contribute — yet they are also uncertain about the next steps.

As we look at our economy and the jobs that are needed, we should want to lend support to Dreamers to keep these young people moving forward.

Yes, there are many questions, but there are answers and we must act on them. Yes, there are aspects of our system and in our structure that need refinement, but now, as we contemplate the necessary steps for strengthening our economy, we must pursue the right answers and solutions and find new ways to support the entire community.

We are fortunate to have a diverse workforce that fills jobs, grows our economy and enriches our culture. In metro Atlanta, we celebrate this diversity and watch with great enthusiasm the collective spirit of cooperation and mutual support from the business community, our neighborhoods, local retailers and social services that are so abundantly active here.

How can we come together more in support of our young immigrants?

Almost 12% of Georgia jobs are filled by immigrants. That is not surprising, considering that the labor force participation rate for immigrants in Georgia is 71% compared with 61.9% for native-born workers.

And this comes amid a labor shortage.

As of last year, there were only 54 available workers for every 100 jobs. These statistics certainly underscore that we have a great need for immigrant workers. There are job shortages in transportation and logistics, hospitality, construction and health care.

In health care alone, there is a particular need, one increasingly being filled by young people finishing high school and pursuing specialized courses to fulfill roles as medical and dental assistants and administrative positions.

With nearly 17,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients in Georgia, the math is clear: We must nurture these young adults, who were born outside of the United States, and welcome them into our workforce for the good of our economy.

The purpose of DACA is to protect young immigrants, who were brought to the United States as children, from deportation. We have a responsibility to help educate these young people.

To me, the Dreamers are a special group of individuals who deserve our support and protection. It’s time we provide them with the same educational opportunities and instate tuition options that other Georgia students receive. We need their energy and curiosity to help build the future based on modern technologies and innovation.

We need them in Georgia.

Though this group of young people is referred to as Dreamers, I am dreaming about what actions we can take together to support their futures.

I’m dreaming about equality and humanitarian efforts to support them. I’m dreaming about areas of our city and state where diversity is celebrated and immigrants are supported, giving them the opportunities to make contributions here, to realize the American dream and to give back to their communities.

Emory Morsberger, a former member of the Georgia Legislature who serves as chief executive of the Morsberger Group, a firm devoted to civic issues and economic development, is chair of Gateway 85, a Gwinnett County community improvement district.