The initial Thanksgiving celebration in 1621 in Massachusetts was held by the Pilgrims, newcomers to America, to express gratitude for a successful harvest. As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables this week, many of us being immigrants or their descendants, we are reminded of the pressing need for President-elect Obama to address the flaws in our current immigration policy. Rather than having a sensible immigration system in place, we witness sporadic immigration raids on businesses suspected of hiring undocumented workers, followed by deportations that could potentially separate parents from their children who are U.S. citizens by birth. The most contentious aspect of the immigration issue is how to handle the approximately 12 million undocumented immigrants. Many immigrants are not likely to go back to their home countries, even in the current challenging economic situation. It is not desirable for them to leave either, as they take on jobs that Americans are not interested in, whether it be in high-skilled areas like scientific and medical research or in basic yet important low-skilled jobs such as gardening, car washing, and cleaning. President Bush's comprehensive immigration proposals in 2007 were not approved by Congress, despite support from both Democratic and Republican leaders. The question now is whether President Obama will be able to achieve success where Bush did not. Obama's proposal closely resembles the failed bill, including increased border protection, more visas for new immigrants, penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers, and eventual citizenship for undocumented workers already in the country after paying a fine. While this proposal would be a significant improvement, if Congress does not pass immigration reform, there could still be benefits to American labor markets with more limited action. One option would be to allow the Department of Labor to determine the number of work permits and temporary visas to be issued each quarter. The Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is required by law to grant 65,000 H-1b temporary visas to skilled workers. These workers are selected by the Labor Department from a pool of around 630,000 applications submitted by employers. Those holding H-1b visas must leave the US once their employment ends. Despite this, a large number of applicants are unsuccessful in obtaining a visa. Many highly educated foreign students studying in the US, often funded by American taxpayers, are unable to secure employment in the country. Foreign workers must depart, bringing their intellectual accomplishments and valuable expertise with them. They contribute positively to the American economy by paying taxes and maintaining the operations of various industries such as laboratories, hotels, high-tech companies, and construction sites. If they are forced to leave, these contributions will cease. The H-1b visa cap of 65,000 for 2009 was filled within a week of the application process opening on April 1, 2008. This amount is a small fraction of the U.S. labor force, which consists of 154 million workers. Even if the cap was raised to 150,000, it would still only make up less than one tenth of 1% of the labor force. This means that the majority of prospective applicants are likely to be denied admission due to the low chance of success. While Congress may not be equipped to constantly change laws based on economic fluctuations, the Labor Department has the necessary expertise to assess changing labor markets and the ability to adjust visa quotas accordingly. It is suggested that Congress should give the Labor Department the authority to determine the number of visas to be issued on a quarterly basis. This would allow for a more flexible approach, with fewer visas being issued during times of high unemployment and more visas being issued when unemployment decreases. By entrusting the Labor Department with this responsibility, it would help to avoid putting excessive strain on U.S. workers and community resources. Allowing for quarterly adjustments to legal immigration could benefit America, as it could help President-elect Obama move past the immigration controversies that have been present during the Bush administration and set a positive tone for the future. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor and current senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, believes that having something to be thankful for next Thanksgiving would be a significant achievement. Her contact information is dfr@hudson.org.