Over the course of American history, immigrants and their descendants have fostered economic dynamism and cultural ingenuity. The nation has reaped the benefits of immigration, as have local communities where new arrivals live, work, and participate in civic life. But not all communities have benefited to the same degree from America’s status as an immigration hub. Though thriving immigrant communities exist across the United States, new arrivals continue to concentrate in large cities and traditional destination states. Nonetheless, immigration has the potential to inject dynamism and growth into communities that, with an infusion of new residents and workers, are well placed to thrive.
This report makes the case for a new immigration program that will provide economic opportunity for immigrants while also helping to revitalize the economies of communities across the country. We dub this program “Community Partnership Visas” (CPVs). Through CPVs, eligible communities would apply to the federal government to become destinations for immigrants settling in the country under a new employment-based visa stream. The program would be open to workers of all types and skills, with communities determining the types of immigrants that would best suit their needs.