How Immigration Proposal Would Hurt Pro Sports

The Republican sponsored RAISE Act, “Reforming American Immigration for Strong Economy,” would cut lawful immigration by about half. 

The proposal would create a “merit” score. The three largest scoring factors would be (1) age [younger applicants get a higher score], (2) English fluency, and (3) education (college degree would get higher scores).

If enacted, this law would screen out hundreds of pro athletes. Why? Because many athletes are not fluent in English; and many do not have a college degree.

(See picture of Albert Pujols— from Dominican Republic— from his rookie year in 2001.)

Let’s break this down by sports. The figures are for 2017 rosters.

Major League Baseball: Only 71% of players were American-born. Players from the Dominican Republic comprise 11% of MLB rosters. Combined, foreign nationals make up 29% of the all major league teams.

NBA: Only 80% of NBA players were born in the U.S. About 12% were born in a European nation. The other 8% come from South American, African, and Asian nations.

NHL: Only 27% of NHL players were born in the U.S.; 46% were born in Canada; and 26% were born in Europe. Put another way: 73% of the league is comprised of foreign nationals. 
NFL: 97% of players were born in the U.S.

Bottom line: Three leagues—baseball, basketball and hockey— would be hurt by the RAISE Act. Perhaps the bill would be amended to create special treatment for these leagues. That would set off a line of industries who would want special treatment— places such as the Mayo Clinic, research universities, but also agricultural employers such as Dole and Cargill, and others, all of whom rely on the legal immigration system for their business operations.

(Source: Gregor Aisch, Kevin Quely, and Rory Smith, Where Athletes in the Premier League, the N.B.A. and Other Sports Leagues Come From, in 15 Charts, N.Y. Times (Dec. 29, 2017) (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/29/upshot/internationalization-of-pro-sports-leagues-premier-league.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0#MLB).