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The Role of Migration in Building Inclusive and Prosperous Societies

with core programming partner

nyc mayors office for international affairs city of new york logo - The Role of Migration in Building Inclusive and Prosperous Societies

SpeakerS:

Michael Stott – Latin American Editor, Financial Time
Diego Beltrand – Regional Director for North & Central America and the Caribbean, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
T.H. Debbie Wasserman Shultz – Representative, US House of Representatives (FL-25)
Tatiana Torres – Associate Partner, Dentons Global Advisors; Board Member, Concordia
T.H Carlos Vecchio – Former Ambassador to the United States, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (2019-2023)
Margaret Spears – Deputy Assistant Administrator, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Sara Aviel – President & CEO, Inter-American Foundation
Jose Bared – Director, The Bared Family Foundation
Nicholas Logothetis – Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board, Concordia
T.H. Eric Adams – Mayor, City of New York
Dr. Alejandro Portes – Research and Law Professor, University of Miami
Johnathan Duarte – Managing Director and Head of Latin America & Caribbean Advisory, CrossBoundary

Key takeaways & next steps:

  • Narco politics, transnational criminal organizations, and state failures in Western Hemispheric countries have caused the mass migration of asylum seekers into the U.S.
  • Authoritarian dictatorships are rising in South America, reflecting a broader migration pattern. The most direct way to stop mass migration to the U.S. is to support democracies and political transitions in these failing democratic institutions.
  • According to surveys, 65% of Venezuelan immigrants would return to Venezuela if there was a political change in leadership. There has been a demonization of asylum seekers because of American politicalization; this is a moral issue, not a political one.
  • Supporting migrants in the U.S. requires legislation that reforms border security and streamlines asylum seekers to enter the country.
  • A bigger national budget for immigrants to obtain work permits will support the economy in the long term and help migrants provide for themselves.
  • The large-scale issue of migration needs to be addressed with long-term solutions at the national and state level. However, there are short-term solutions that can be created by working at the local level on the front lines to support migrant workers.
  • Bipartisan legislation and public-private sector collaboration will create better opportunities for migrants.

“The enormous wave of migration we’re seeing in the hemisphere reflects state failure on a scale that we have not seen before.” 

Michael Stott, Latin American Editor, Financial Time

“Integration into communities is a key part in the effort to address irregular migration.”

Diego Beltrand, Regional Director for North & Central America and the Caribbean, International Organization for Migration (IOM)

“Mass migration is a three-legged stool: there is a dramatic rise in authoritarianism, a need for immigration reform, and a need for resources.”

T.H. Debbie Wasserman Shultz, Representative, US House of Representatives (FL-25)

“You don’t have to be a democrat or a republican to understand humanity, and what we are dealing with as a country.”

Tatiana Torres, Associate Partner, Dentons Global Advisors; Board Member, Concordia

“The main problem is the dictatorship. If we find a political transition in Venezuela, it will stop migration.”

T.H Carlos Vecchio, Former Ambassador to the United States, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (2019-2023)

“Focusing on the importance of the expansion of lawful labor pathways to the U.S. and taking advantage of temporary work visas can fill labor needs.”

Margaret Spears, Deputy Assistant Administrator, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

“We’ve seen that investing at the local level has tremendous benefits. It helps support social and economic integration.”

Sara Aviel, President & CEO, Inter-American Foundation

“We need legislation, we need work permits, and the private industry is ready.”

Jose Bared, Director, The Bared Family Foundation

“We extended TPS [Temporary Protected Status] status for Venezuelans, and we need to extend it for everyone. If you are paroled into the country, you should be paroled into the pursuit of the American dream.”

T.H. Eric Adams, Mayor, City of New York

“Aside from not having a work permit, Venezuelans have no social networks because there is not a big Venezuelan economic enclave in New York.”

Dr. Alejandro Portes, Research and Law Professor, University of Miami

“If the youth of El Salvador are able to see that they can get that tech job locally, there are less chances that they want to migrate locally to the U.S.”

Johnathan Duarte, Managing Director and Head of Latin America & Caribbean Advisory, CrossBoundary

“I try to tell people, try to talk to someone who has gone through a process of trying to come to this country. It is really important to speak to the immigrants in your life, to this country, and they will tell you how important this country is to them, and how difficult it was to get here.”

Nicholas Logothetis, Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board, Concordia