Statement of NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Marlene M. Johnson2016-08-22FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WASHINGTON, August 22, 2016 – The Partnership for a New American Economy recently launched the Reason for Reform Campaign, featuring a coalition of partners that ranges from tech companies such as Google and Pinterest, to agricultural growers and trade associations. The alliance is making the economic case for reforming the nation’s immigration system. Marlene M. Johnson, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, issued the following statement in response to this new initiative:

“NAFSA has long advocated for creating a comprehensive visa and immigration process that both serves our needs and reflects our nation’s values. We are a nation that prides itself on welcoming immigrants and recognizing the many contributions they make on campuses and workplaces nationwide. International students, in particular, are critical to the strength and well-being of communities across the entire United States, bringing billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the American economy, along with immeasurable contributions to science, innovation and more beyond the classroom.

“NAFSA’s latest analysis finds that the 974,926 international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities contributed $30.5 billion and supported more than 373,000 jobs to the U.S. economy during the 2014-2015 academic year. Reason for Reform recognizes the importance international students in their campaign by highlighting data from NAFSA: Association of International Educators International Student Economic Value Tool for each state to strengthen the group’s position.

“As a nation of immigrants, it goes against the values upon which the United States was founded to shut our doors to future or current immigrants. NAFSA supports the efforts of Reason for Reform and will continue to advocate, to lend our voice and to work with diverse groups such as this who are striving to make our immigration system fairer and our country more prosperous and secure.”

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Sample Tweet: .@NAFSA welcomes #ReasonForReform to the #immigration reform movement. http://bit.ly/2bCeftg

About NAFSA: With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Visit us at www.nafsa.org/press. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.ConnectingOurWorld.org and @ConnectOurWorld on Twitter.