Скачать или смотреть IBA Forum (3.14.24) - Building An Innovative Workforce Through Comprehensive Immigration Reform

The enduring repercussions of the pandemic persist in various sectors, notably affecting the Retail and Tourism Industries. These sectors grapple with ongoing challenges such as staff shortages and the struggle to attract suitable candidates to meet the growing demand for job positions.

During the first half of 2022, Retail and Tourism Industries in our region experienced an estimated staff shortfall of 321,000 employees. Since then, 1 in 18 jobs remain unfilled. Nationally, over 8.8 million jobs remain open, with 5.8 million unemployed workers.

Moreover, San Diego County has the ninth-highest immigrant population among U.S. counties, comprising nearly one-third of the labor force in the County, and contributing to about 25 percent of the region’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product). These statistics underscore the intersection of workforce dynamics and immigration’s impact on both local and national economic landscapes.

The changing trends in migratory flows have posed new, complex challenges in border enforcement operations and processing capacity, demonstrating that the current system is not equipped nor flexible enough.

Not only has this impacted the efficiency of routine border operations, but also strained the resources of communities along the U.S.-Mexico border to support asylum seekers and migrants.