WEST MICHIGAN – Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder told The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan this week that he would like to leverage a federal immigration program in hopes of attracting new jobs and investments to the state. 

The EB-5 immigration program, passed in 1990 by Congress, allows those who’ve invested at least $500,000 in a business creating 10 full-time jobs to apply for green cards to live and work in the U.S. permanently. Snyder also said immigrants are “what made our country great” during his speech, saying that it’s “not right” to blame them for economic woes. 

He’s hoping to bring more E-B-5 immigrants to the state and cited businesses like Meijer and others that are immigrant-owned and top job creators. He also said he supported some portions of President Barack Obama’s Jobs Act noting that infrastructure projects can help but the U.S. debt has to be paid off long-term.