Welcome to the SBR-Authors Podcast! In this podcast series, Host Tom Fox visits with authors in the compliance arena and beyond. In this episode, Tom welcomes Loren Steffy about his upcoming book, Reconstructing Immigration: How to Rebuild America’s Economic Advantage.
In this book, Steffy argues immigration policy should be redesigned around economic need rather than social exclusion. Steffy says a declining native-born population will make immigrants the source of all labor-force growth by 2040, and that immigrants are essential across low-skill sectors (construction, agriculture, meatpacking, healthcare, restaurants) and high-skill roles constrained by H-1B limits, especially amid CHIPS-driven semiconductor demand and training bottlenecks. He notes immigrants account for about one-third of U.S. patents and disproportionately drive entrepreneurship and hiring. Steffy criticizes an enforcement-only approach intensified after COVID border surges, and proposes codifying DACA and creating work permits for long-term, non-criminal residents to stabilize workforces and improve visibility. He cites housing impacts, including a Houston ICE incident disrupting a homebuilding crew, and points to Springfield, Ohio Haitians filling manufacturing jobs and starting businesses. He emphasizes missed gains from the 2013 bipartisan bill (CBO-estimated $1T GDP over 10 years) and calls for better data and reporting.
Key Highlights
- Why Economics First
- Business Wake Up Call
- Practical Reform Steps
- Three Takeaways To Rebuild
Resources:
Loren Steffy on LinkedIn
Stoney Creek Publishing website
Reconstrucing Immigration click here
Tom Fox