This Administration has consistently stood for the principle that we are
both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. Throughout our history,
the United States has been enriched by a steady stream of hardworking and
talented people from around the world who have helped make our country the
engine of the global economy. In his State of the Union Address, President
Obama reiterated his deep commitment to fix our broken immigration system so
that it meets our economic and national security needs. He made clear that
our current immigration system requires fundamental legislative reform to
strengthen our economic competiveness and create a legal immigration system
that is fair and meets our diverse needs.
As a part of his vision for building a 21st century immigration system (PDF)
, the President supports legislative measures that would attract and retain
immigrants who create jobs and boost competitiveness here in the United
States, including reforms to the existing employment-based immigration
system and in particular strengthening our H-1B program. In the meantime,
the Administration will continue to undertake available administrative
reforms, such as the upcoming proposed changes to allow work authorization
for some H-1B spouses.