HB 1493: Eliminate Office of Immigration? Top 5 List on why this idea is bad.

GNDC opposes HB 1493. This “strategy” to eliminate the Office of Legal Immigration is counterproductive to addressing the state’s ongoing workforce shortages.
 
Here’s our top five list
1. Workforce Shortages Are a Top Concern for Businesses
North Dakota businesses consistently cite labor availability as their biggest challenge. In our 2024 ND Economics and Employer Survey, 70% of respondents reported struggling to hire employees. Simply put, there aren’t enough workers to meet demand. The Office of Legal Immigration was created as a practical tool to help businesses connect with legal immigrants and New Americans who are eager to work.
 
2. The Office Hasn’t Had Time to Prove Itself
The state took deliberate steps to establish the Office of Legal Immigration, but it’s still in its early stages. Eliminating it before it’s fully functional is shortsighted and premature—businesses haven’t even had the chance to use it effectively. GNDC believes in solutions, scrapping the office now would be like pulling up crops before they’ve had a chance to grow.
 
3. Businesses Need Immigration Guidance
Federal immigration laws are complex, confusing, and difficult to navigate, especially for small and mid-sized businesses that don’t have legal teams. The Office of Legal Immigration was designed to serve as a state resource, helping businesses understand the rules and access available workforce solutions. Elimination forces businesses to go at it alone, they already have full plates and navigating new waters takes time.
 
4. The Business Community Previously Supported This Initiative
When the office was originally proposed, it had bipartisan support because it was a practical, business-friendly solution. GNDC and other stakeholders backed it, recognizing that legal immigration could help address workforce shortages. Reversing course now, before seeing results, is unnecessary bureaucratic whiplash.
 
5. Legal Immigration is a Workforce Strategy, Not a Political Debate
This isn’t about politics—it’s about keeping North Dakota’s economy strong. Employers need access to talent, and legal immigration is one of many tools to fill workforce gaps.

Eliminating the Office of Legal Immigration does nothing to help North Dakota businesses. If anything, it makes hiring even more difficult at a time when workforce shortages are already holding businesses back. GNDC is defending the ground —and HB 1493 is a BIG step in the wrong direction.