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We support border security, a path to legalization, a viable essential worker program, and an efficient federal employment verification program.
Download the Immigration Policy Brief.
Restaurants are the cornerstone of every community. Many generations of immigrant families have brought the best of their traditions and cultures to our family table and provide a vital role in the restaurant industry. The industry continues to be a home for immigrants from all over the world seeking to build a new life and achieve the American Dream. The relationship benefits both sides: Immigrants gain valuable job experience and immediate access to new opportunities, and restaurateurs can fill positions at every level.
Over the next decade, restaurants are projected to create more jobs than the U.S.-born workforce can fill. The industry is expected to add 1.8 million positions over the next decade, a 14 percent increase in the industry’s workforce. However, the U.S.-born workforce is expected to grow by just 10 percent over the same period. As such, the National Restaurant Association supports commonsense immigration reforms that expand U.S. employers’ ability to hire a legal workforce.
Our principles for immigration reform include the following: