Immigrants Do, Indeed Start BusinessesReader comment on: Anti-Immigrant Sessions Submitted by Harrison O'Toole (United States), Jan 29, 2014 17:21 I write to comment on EriK's statement that he (or she) would be surprised if the doubling of "guest workers" will provide many start-ups. I don't know, of course, where EriK is living, geographically speaking. But where I live, virtually the entire range of lawn-mowing and house-painting businesses are owned by Hispanic immigrants. And I don't live anywhere near the border with Mexico. Far from it. The business owners and empoyers are, in my experience, in these two businesses, from El Salvador. The best Indian restaurant in this area is run by an Indian immigrant whose daughter graduated from Duke. That restaurant employs at least 25 people. The nail salons in this and other regions I know well are owned and operated by Korean immigrants, and the woman who cuts my hair and owns her own barbershop is from Iran and has now become a US citizen. She employs about 30 US-born citizens. My dentist, who is actually a prosthodontist was a Viet Namese boat person (Google it, if you're unfamiliar with the term) and now teaches at the state's major dental school, and is the best prosthodontist I've ever had the privilege of knowing. He employs many native-born Americans, as does my People's Republic of China-born allergist. I don't go looking for immigrants to mow our lawn or cut my hair or treat my allergies or create the most comfortable crowns and bridges in my mouth. I found all these people either through word of mouth from US-born friends or by looking in the "Best Doctors in" my area issue of the local metropolitan magazine. These immigrants have all started their own businesses or medical/dental practices and without them, many non-entrepreneurial American-born citizens might well be unemployed. In short, I couldn't and don't disagree more strongly with EriK than I do. Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing. Other reader comments on this item
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