Good vs Harm
Foreigners and the United States
By: Angela Maki
There are many good things that foreigners
provide to the United States.
Economically, they bring in billions of dollars.
International students alone brought in 32.8
billion dollars and created more than 400,000
jobs in 2015-16. Here in the state of Michigan
they brought in 1,066.4 million. At NMU, this
is a low estimate for tuition only, they
brought in at least $1,655,928 for the 2016-
17 academic year (based on 109 students per
semester). International students are not
eligible for Federal Financial Aid so all they
money received is cash or credit from their
home country and no debt to the United
States.
Now let us move onto foreign visitors. In
January 2017, foreign visitors brought in
$20.8 billion, which is up 1% from January
2016. Imagine all the jobs that are created to
provide services to all the visitors in the
tourism industry.
A recent story by 60 minutes addressed the
issue of companies hiring foreigners on H-1B
(working visas) to come to the United States
and work for much less, often with no
benefits. They do this so they can make more
money but they are also taking jobs away
from other US workers. Is this really the
foreigners fault? People are always looking
to better themselves. Let us take a look at a
family from India. The average middle class
salary in India is $13,662. When they have an
offer for a position that
makes $40,000, or more, per
year, do you blame them for
taking this opportunity?
I think the U.S. companies, that hire H-1B
employees, should be monitored more and
there should be more tracking that the
company must report. The only visas that are
monitored are F, M and J visas for
international students. No other visas are
monitored. As part of my job, I must verify
enrollment, address, phone numbers, major
and other information for all international
students each semester. They are limited to
work only on campus. To work off campus it
must be through an internship (application
process required) or they will have to apply
for Optional Practical Training to seek
approval to work in their field of study for 12
months after they graduate, at a cost of
$410, with no guaranteed approval.
Another reason why foreigners are good for
the United States is that not everybody has
the ability, or the need, to
study abroad to experience
another culture. It gives us
the opportunity to
Armchair Travel, as Diana
Vreeland stated in an
interview; to talk to a
foreigner, learn about their culture, and
make a new friend. Why do they do what
they do? What is the meaning? What is the
family structure or the value of family? I have
Armchair Traveled all over the world
because I have had the opportunity to sit and
talk with many international students and
scholars from NMU.
We can also learn about the United State
from a foreigners perspective. I had a
student from Kenya work for me in my office
and I asked her what is the one big difference
between the US and Kenya. She said people
in the US are wasteful because they waste so
much water. In Kenya water is very precious
and in her village, they would lock their
water supply so they would not lose any.
Here you can let your water run as much as
you want and you will not run out. Other
students have told me that they have always
thought of the United States as the place
where their dreams can come true. The one
thing they did not realize is that dreams
come true at a cost. It is expensive compared
to many places in the world.
I had a student come to NMU from Iraq and I
could not wait to meet him. During one of my
conversations with him, he said, Thank you.
I said, I didnt do anything. Why are you
thanking me? He said, I am thanking you
for saving my life. You helped me get
admitted to NMU and helped me get out of
Iraq to pursue my dreams. I have to say I
was surprised. He told me more about Iraq -
some of the good and bad things, but he was
still proud of his country because he wanted
to be sure to tell people that not everybody,
from Iraq, wants to hurt America.
The biggest con about foreigners and the US
that I am concerned about is safety.
Extremist groups like ISIS recruit people to
hurt the US and some of those recruited may
already be in the US (legally or
illegally) or they may recruit U.S.
citizens. I think it is sad that we
need so much security in airports
and that since 9/11 there are
many people afraid to fly or go abroad.
In the big picture of things, I think it is a great
benefit to have foreigners in the United
States. It is a way that foreigners and U.S.
citizens can learn from each other and try to
understand why one culture does things
differently from another. It does not mean
one is better but it can help us see a different
point of view. I can say that I have personally
learned a lot from working with NMU foreign
students and scholars in the past 16 years.
During your time in college, get to know a
foreign student. Talk to them. Ask them
questions. Do your Armchair Travel. You
and the foreign student will both learn about
each others culture. You never know when
you will need the knowledge that you learned
from that student.
Sources
NAFSA International Student Economic Value
Tool. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2017,
from http://www.nafsa.org/Policy_and_Advocacy
/Policy_Resources/Policy_Trends_and_Data/NAFS
A_International_Student_Economic_Value_Tool/
60 minutes examines H-1B visas outsourcing
American jobs
"60 Minutes" examines H-1B visas outsourcing
American jobs. (2017, March 17). Retrieved
March 25, 2017,
from http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/60-
minutes-examines-h-1b-visas-outsourcing-
american-jobs/
Personal Interview, Dr. Diana Vreeland, March 22,
2017
U.S. Travel and Tourism Exports Near $21 Billion
in January International visitors spending $672
million a day experiencing America. (2017, March
22). Retrieved March 25, 2017,
from http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/tinews/archive/tine
ws2017/20170322.asp
Welcoming Foreign Students to U.S. Institutions is
Vital to American Public Policy. (n.d.). Retrieved
March 25, 2017,
from http://www.nafsa.org/Policy_and_Advocacy
/Policy_Resources/Policy_Recommendations/Wel
coming_Foreign_Students_to_U_S__Institutions_i
s_Vital_to_American_Public_Policy/