Eagle County often feels timeless, from the mountains to the rivers to the trails. But the truth is our community is always in motion, shaped by people who show up ready to work, raise families, and build lives. And if we want to thrive in the years ahead, we must face a hard reality: our immigration system isn’t keeping pace with the communities it’s supposed to support, and our community is dependent upon immigrants.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been clear: our borders are necessarily secure, but our worker shortage is real, and it’s holding back the economy. This is true both nationally and locally. Legal immigration needs a modern, commonsense approach, one that protects security while giving businesses and communities the people they need to grow.

Practical solutions could include raising visa caps to reflect workforce needs, creating more flexible seasonal and year-round work programs, streamlining the process for work permits, and expanding the availability of permanent residency for long-term contributors. We could not agree more with the need for secure borders and a legal pathway to support people, business, and community.

This isn’t an abstract issue. Here in Eagle County, our population is changing fast. Our birth rates are lower, our residents are aging, and the number of people in their prime working years is shrinking. Meanwhile, immigrants make up roughly 16% of our population and 18% of our workforce. They’re nurses, teachers, small business owners, restaurant staff, construction workers, and hospitality professionals. They aren’t just numbers. Immigrants are our neighbors, friends, and the backbone of our local economy.

Yet our immigration system makes it harder than it should be for these people to work legally and plan for the long term. Visa caps for high-skilled workers haven’t changed since the 1990s. Seasonal worker programs don’t match the reality of year-round labor needs. And too many long-standing contributors live in limbo, unable to secure permanent status or citizenship.

This isn’t politics. This is common sense, and it is driven by the needs of our country and our community. Walk into any restaurant, grocery store, construction site, or healthcare facility in Eagle County, and you’ll see the need firsthand. Businesses often can’t find enough workers. Jobs go unfilled. Schools and hospitals strain. All of this results in slower growth, limited wages, and makes it harder for everyone to get ahead.

Reform doesn’t mean ignoring security. The US Chamber and more than 430 business groups, including Vail Valley Partnership, have called for a balanced approach: strong borders, expanded visa programs, sensible work verification, and pathways to legal status. That’s a plan that works for communities like ours. Most American voters (both Republican and Democrat) agree and support policies to strengthen border security and make it easier to immigrate to the U.S., according to a recent Fox News poll.

If Eagle County is going to stay vibrant, we need people across the demographic spectrum to thrive here. This includes young people, skilled workers, and families who want to make this place their home. Immigration grows our economy, strengthens schools, fills labor gaps, adds to the diversity that strengthens our community, and brings new ideas and energy. Without it, we risk stagnation.

Comprehensive immigration reform isn’t just a policy issue. It’s about people showing up, pitching in, and building a life, just like generations of Coloradans have done. Our mountains, our towns, our economy only thrive when people are here to keep them alive.

Let’s fix this system. Let’s make sure Eagle County, and communities across America, have the people we need to grow, prosper, and stay strong. Because our future, and the vibrant, sustainable community we all want, depends on it.

Chris Romer is president & CEO of Vail Valley Partnership, 3-time national chamber of the year. Learn more at VailValleyPartnership.com