Immigration reform is a win-win

I recently received my Doctorate in Science Edu­cation from Louisiana State University. I am now teaching science in the Iberville Parish School System.

There is a great need for physics and chemistry teachers throughtout America, but especially in Louisiana. Most of my classmates at LSU were foreign students. Many have returned home, but many would like to stay in this country and gain actual work experiene to accompany their degrees. However, once thy have completed their course work, they must find an employer and get a one-year work permit (OPT) to continue to stay in this country. If not, the time of effective OPT will be shortened and they are forced to leave the country within three months. This permit can be extended or changed to anothe rtype of visa (H1B), but this process is very stressful, slow and expensive for both the employee and the employer.

It is my understanding that the United States Congress is considering immigration reform. I want to encourage the elected officials from Louisiana to support these reform measures. Your state has already made great commitments in educating foreign students. It makes no sense to me that you would not do everything possible to make it easy for these highly educated graduates who want to stay in the United States to use their knowledge right here, rather than back home or abroad? I know how painful it is to be forced to leave a place after settlign down here for more than five years.

– Dr. Erica Xin Wu

This article originally published in the June 2, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.