There can never be enough smart people — people that we want contributing to our country and collaborating with others to help make productive and necessary changes in our world. That’s the general premise of President Obama’s startup visa and staple visa proposals, and it’s a premise that we agree with.

The proposals are only one part of the immigration reform suggested by the president, but it’s a very strong aspect. The startup visa proposal would provide visas to allow foreign entrepreneurs to come to the United States to start and grow their businesses and allow them to permanently stay if their business is successful. This would also have the potential to provide more jobs and contribute to our economy. 

In addition, the proposal would essentially “staple” green cards to graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.   

Some of the smartest people from across the world come to the United States to study and we are glad to have them here. They attend world-class institutions, such as the University, and learn to be engineers, doctors and scholars. Essentially, they come here to be the best in their fields. Education is something we value highly and we appreciate working and learning alongside a variety of different people from a variety of different backgrounds and countries. 

Many of these students may wish to return to their home countries after completing their education, and we understand and admire that desire. But many of these international students want to stay here in the United States and pursue other ventures.

They come here, they want to take advantage of the resources offered in the United States and they want to raise families and start businesses. Some of the smartest people in the world want to stay in the United States, and they want to help make the country even better. That should be encouraged.

The United States is a nation built on immigrants. We are a melting pot of different people and ideas, and we should welcome the smartest people in the world who are trying to study, start businesses and create jobs. We should make it as easy as possible for these people to stay and contribute to bettering our country.

President Obama’s proposal would help do that, and we hope the proposal is able to create a new generation of foreign entrepreneurs and scholars who come to the United States and help make the nation even better. And, hopefully, many of these people will begin their endeavors here at the University.