DEBATESAROUND the EB-5 immigrant investor program have been heated (“Green cards shouldn’t be for sale,” Renée Loth, Opinion, May 15), and EB-5 immigrant investors are frequently labeled as wealthy people buying citizenship. This stereotype is unfair.
I know at least 20 Chinese EB-5 investors, all of whom are hard-working individuals who have contributed remarkably to the community. Thousands of EB-5 immigrants are US college graduates from prestigious universities. They speak fluent English, hold high-skilled positions, and work extremely hard. Many EB-5 investors have established strong connections with the United States for a long time. These immigrants bring in a vast array of valuable talents, and are not stereotypical random rich people.
Just like any other category of immigrants, EB-5 investors are law-abiding people who want to stay in the United States legally. They must wait in line as well. They cannot bypass the immigration laws or receive special privileges.
The EB-5 program desperately needs reform, but the fraud and abuse that are prevalent are byproducts of a flawed system, not of the individuals within it. If the EB-5 program were terminated, the lives and futures of tens of thousands of innocent immigrants would be jeopardized.