The first Thanksgiving festival took place in 1621 in Massachusetts, celebrated by Pilgrims as a way to give thanks for a successful harvest. As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables this year, many of us immigrants or descendants of immigrants, we are reminded of the pressing need for President-elect Obama to address the flaws in our current immigration policy. Instead of a logical system, we see sporadic immigration raids and deportations that can tear families apart. The most contentious 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. We wouldn't want them to leave either, as they fill important roles in both high-skill fields like scientific research, and low-skill jobs like gardening and car washing. In 2007, President Bush's immigration proposals were not approved by Congress, despite support from both Democrats and Republicans. Will Obama be able to achieve what Bush could not? Obama's proposal is very similar to 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. This proposal would be a significant improvement. However, if Congress does not pass immigration reform due to rising unemployment, narrower action could still benefit American labor markets. The Department of Labor could be given the authority to determine the number of work permits and temporary visas issued each quarter without Congress's approval. The Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) follows the law by granting 65,000 H-1b temporary visas to skilled workers. These individuals are chosen by the Labor Department from around 630,000 applications submitted by employers. Those holding H-1b visas are required to leave the United States once their employment ends. However, the majority of applicants do not receive a visa, leaving many skilled foreign college graduates who have studied in the US without access to American jobs, despite their education often being funded by American taxpayers. Foreign workers must depart, bringing along their intellectual accomplishments and valuable expertise. They contribute to the American economy by paying taxes and sustaining various industries such as laboratories, hotels, high-tech exhibitions, and construction projects. If they are forced to leave, these contributions will cease. In 2009, the H-1b visa cap of 65,000 was reached within a week of the application process starting on April 1, 2008. This number is a very small fraction of the total U.S. labor force, which is 154 million. Even if the cap was increased to 150,000, it would still be less than one tenth of 1% of the labor force. This limited quota means that the majority of potential applicants do not even apply due to the low probability of success. While Congress is not well-equipped to constantly change laws based on economic fluctuations, the Labor Department has the necessary expertise to assess changing labor markets and the flexibility to adjust visa quotas. Congress should think about giving the Labor Department the authority to determine the number of visas to issue on a quarterly basis. If unemployment increases, the Department would issue fewer visas, and if it decreases, more visas could be granted. This system would allow the Department to manage visas without negatively impacting American workers or community resources like schools and hospitals. Allowing the Labor Department to make quarterly adjustments to legal immigration would benefit the country. President-elect Obama could use this opportunity to move past the contentious immigration issues that have been a problem during the Bush administration, and set a positive tone for the upcoming year. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, who previously served as the chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor and is now a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, believes that having something to be grateful for next Thanksgiving would be significant. Her contact information is dfr@hudson.org.