What If America Lost Its Immigrant Entrepreneurs? A Wake-Up Call for Innovation and Growth

Immigrant Entrepreneurs

The Backbone of Innovation

From your neighborhood bakery to Silicon Valley boardrooms, immigrant entrepreneurs are a cornerstone of U.S. economic vitality. Their impact is not peripheral—it’s foundational. As the former mayor of a border city, director of Arizona’s Department of Commerce, and chief of staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, I’ve seen firsthand how immigrant-led ventures drive both local development and national innovation.

Game-Changers Across Every Scale

Think of Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, or Pierre Omidyar—immigrants who redefined entire industries. Yet, beyond household names, millions of immigrants run small businesses that support communities and fuel job creation. According to the National Foundation for American Policy, immigrant-founded firms employed 3.6 million people globally and generated $1.5 trillion in annual sales by 2018.

More Than Jobs: A Culture of Creation

Immigrant entrepreneurs aren’t just job creators—they’re inventors. Research shows they’re twice as likely to hold patents as native-born citizens. These innovations ripple outward, generating entire ecosystems of opportunity.

Nearly 45% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children—yet only 14% of the U.S. population is foreign-born.

A Country Without Them?

Without immigrant entrepreneurship, we’d face a staggering $1.7 trillion hole in annual revenue. Communities would lose essential services. The U.S. would sacrifice its edge in global innovation.

Grit, Risk, and Resilience

Immigrant success stems from their ability to see opportunity where others see risk. From Andrew Carnegie’s failed ventures to Elon Musk’s early struggles, perseverance is a shared trait. As CEO of Intermestic Partners—an international business advisory firm founded in 2011 that specializes in cross-border trade and development—I’ve worked with global firms navigating this terrain. The lesson: resilience is more than a trait—it’s a strategy.

Policy: The Gatekeeper of Progress

Visas like H-1B and EB-5 are lifelines for immigrant entrepreneurship. But restrictive immigration policies can stifle the very growth they helped fuel. Supporting reforms that make these pathways more accessible is an economic imperative.

A Call to Collaborate

The U.S. economy thrives when we support those bold enough to build something new—regardless of birthplace. Let’s make sure our policies reflect that.

Let’s work together to ensure the U.S. remains the best place in the world to launch a dream. If you’re ready to explore how immigrant-led innovation can unlock new growth, connect with Intermestic Partners today.