We Need an Einstein Immigration Policy - Brookings Institution
This is an immigration policy I can certainly get behind — enticing the best and the brightest from all over the world has been our winning strategy in the past, and it should be the strategy in the future.
If President Obama is serious about a comprehensive immigration reform, he’ll need to overcome two big problems: our softening competitive edge in the global market, and the hostile attitudes many Americans have about immigration. The way out? Establish a strong rationale for immigration that’s linked to our self-interest in innovation and long-term economic development.
In the years leading up to World War II, the United States recruited Europe’s top talent for our nuclear program. Scientists such as Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, and Edward Teller immigrated to America and played an instrumental role in securing our country’s future and developing its nuclear advantage.