The Department of Homeland Security International Entrepreneur Rule

From GeekWire:

The Department of Homeland Security has officially enacted a provision to make it easier for immigrant entrepreneurs to build startups in the U.S. The rule, proposed by President Barack Obama last summer, takes effect exactly one week before he leaves the Oval Office.

The initial rule outlined a “parole” period that foreign entrepreneurs could apply for, granting two years in the U.S. to grow a startup. To qualify, the founder had to prove that the startup met certain requirements and demonstrated the potential for “significant public benefit.” After the initial parole period, the founder could apply to extend his or her stay in the U.S. for an additional three years, if the startup met additional benchmarks.

Over the past five months, DHS has been collecting public feedback on the proposal to inform the final rule. That comment period led to a few key changes to the final rule, enacted today.

Instead of a two-year period followed by a three-year period, the rule now says entrepreneurs can apply for an initial parole of 2.5 years, followed by an extended period of 2.5 additional years.

The proposed rule said startups needed to have investments of at least $345,000 from qualified U.S. investors to apply for parole. DHS has reduced that minimum required investment to $250,000. The official rule also gives entrepreneurs more time to land funding — 18 months instead of one year.

The final rule also reduces the ownership stake the founder needs to have to qualify. Instead of 15 percent, entrepreneurs need to own only 10 percent of the startup to qualify for the initial parole period. To re-apply for an additional 2.5 years, founders just need 5 percent ownership.

In the proposed rule, a startup had to generate at least 10 jobs during the initial 2.5-year parole period to qualify for an extension. That number has been reduced to five jobs in the final rule.

This is really good thing. I know of a number of founders who have been unable to stay in the US even though they started a company here that is growing and hiring people in the US. Tossing people out who are starting companies that are creating new jobs in the US is nuts but that’s what we have been doing. This rule changes that, at least temporarily, and that’s a good thing.

Here’s the rule in its entirety:

International Entrepreneur Parole by GeekWire on Scribd

#entrepreneurship#policy

Comments (Archived):

  1. JimHirshfield

    I hope it survives the coming wave of dismantling of all things Obama.

  2. William Mougayar

    Great. Canada has had its own similar program for over a year, and it has a friendlier name – Startup Visa. It’s quite simply explained on a website in a few paragraphs ($75K min if angels & $200K if VCs involved):http://www.cic.gc.ca/englis…Why does the US need a 209 page document for this? I guess things are a bit complicated.

    1. Jeff Judge

      I like the simplicity in messaging here. Nice work.

    2. Cam MacRae

      All that, plus I’d actually want to live in Canada.

        1. Cam MacRae

          Hong Kong for the last few years.

          1. Twain Twain

            Oh, wow, I hadn’t guessed this! I thought you were somewhere in Manchester or something, lol.So are you now a massive fan of the pudding houses? That’s one of the things I miss: iced coconut & red bean was my childhood.

          2. Cam MacRae

            Dessert is a very rare treat for me, but I do enjoy red bean ice (紅豆冰). Oddly enough the food I would most miss is turnip cake (蘿蔔糕) at breakfast. Go figure.

          3. Twain Twain

            Good turnip cake is heavenly! My mother makes the best turnip cake.

    3. ShanaC

      because we are crazier than we like to admit?

    4. LE

      Short and memorable URL. I guess it would have been to difficult for the government to get startupvisa.ca and point it to that long cic.ga.ca URL, EH?

      1. William Mougayar

        Spoken like a domain pro!

        1. Vasudev Ram

          And a marketer (of his own services). Which is good.

    5. Twain Twain

      I did think about doing my startup in Canada since my mother’s family are Canadian citizens and Montreal’s building up quite an AI power base. My Dad’s side are American citizens.This “significant public benefit” applies to my system, I think.

    6. BillMcNeely

      We have a love for ligation. So the lawyers in Congress try being smart and get ahead with these long documents.

    7. Lawrence Brass

      I think this is lawyers supporting lawyers. There is great business and opportunity in complexity, specially if it is self made because you are an expert from day one. Same behaviour applies for some software frameworks.Thought the same thing while reading (trying to read) JOBS Act 3But anyway, anything to help foreign entrepreneurs is good for the US.I have my company set up in Delaware, minimal-elastic office space in NYC and this is our first option. Staying there or moving will depend on things we don’t know yet. Will research Canada, sounds good.

      1. Vasudev Ram

        Good points in 1st para.Off-topic: Lawrence, do you have an id where I can message you? Wanted to ask you a couple of questions off-blog. If you don’t want to share it publicly, could you please email me via the email id here (G, not Y!):https://vasudevram.github.i…Thanks.

      2. PhilipSugar

        There is something I call the full employment act for lawyers: I don’t know for a fact but I there must be something taught at law schools where you are required to be as verbose as possible and you never just put down something reasonable, you always put in some crap that the opposing lawyer will have to oppose, then they add something you will have to oppose and the loop continues until the two reasonable business people freak out and put a stop to your billing.

        1. LE

          Not sure I told you about one deal I just pulled off (and made a ton on it) by specifically getting the outside counsel for a company involved and telling them that my client would pay legal fees. So the outside counsel was the conduit to the in house counsel who I could have easily just contacted myself. That way instead of me trying to get something from someone where they had work to do (and no reason to please me) they instead had their own outside counsel (who was being paid and such motivate) egging them on. This worked, and worked very well. Just thought it up on the fly deal is done.and you never just put down something reasonableOther things I have done is put things in that I know the other lawyer will catch on purpose. That way they are less likely to go for things that I would oppose. These are like ‘gimmies’ or fish in a barrel. They need a certain number of hours and to show they are doing something. So you just give them the something.The theory on this stems from early on experience with insurance adjusters. You give them what they need to write up a claim in your interest so they just copy it (that simplistic but the principle). Instead of doing the hard work themselves. Easier to just check and agree with what you have if it’s not to far off go with it.

          1. Susan Rubinsky

            I am so freaking saddened by this. Yet can completely see the logic in it.The other day I was at an event where a certain someone I knew was announcing a mayoral candidacy. While I was there someone hit my car in the street and left a small dent. They also placed a note under my windshield wiper but I didn’t see it when I left because it was night. The next day, I called the person and asked them to forget about the dent and convince 10 people to register to vote instead.I really wish the world worked this way all the time.

          2. PhilipSugar

            +100. I have said this before here. I moved into a house (1839) three months later I had a tree fall during a hurricane and smoke my neighbors garage and commuter car. They couldn’t replace either. Garage for historic, commuter car because it was worth nothing but was a good runner.Insurance company said admit nothing (theirs had to pay) I left an envelope with the deductible in their front desk at a Christmas party. I had to say, I think something is in your desk you might want to get before your kids do.

          3. Susan Rubinsky

            Yeah, but that’s aiding and abetting the system.Maybe it helped that my car is 15 years old and I care more about people voting than fixing a minor dent in the bumper. This also occurred in a neighborhood with a higher risk issue (at least to the insurance people). I’d much rather people vote than extract a fee for the dent and also add to the neighborhood insurance premium.And, truthfully, my car has been scratched and dented two other times in parked situation where the perpetrator just drove away. The honest person should pay less than the the others. (Sure hoping karma really works!)

    8. jason wright

      “Parole” is an absurd name to use to market this scheme. It’s very revealing of the internal power politics of Homeland Security.France just announced its own scheme. It’s a competitive world. We may have already witnessed Peak Valley. Every empire falls.

  3. LIAD

    what’s the skinny on dependents, can my wife and kids come to the brave new world too?what happens on Day 1 of Year 6, detention and deportation?

    1. jason wright

      only if you own no more than 1% of the stock.

      1. LIAD

        Got it. So you can buy indefinite time in the US if you’ve a rich uncle who will seed you $250k

        1. Supratim Dasgupta

          I think it has to be from accredited investors who have past record of investments.

    2. Twain Twain

      The H-1B may have been good for male engineers but their spouses on H4 have experienced difficulties:* https://qz.com/797831/the-h

      1. PhilipSugar

        We hired on of those. She is one of our best employees, she heads up testing. I had to ask why she had such a large employment gap. I find the whole process humiliating and dehumanizing. My sister in law is one of the leading experts in sequencing the human genome. Wrote a book that is used in many colleges. She ended up having to get her Green Card through my brother (she wanted to get it on her own for pride). I literally had to be interviewed if they in fact were really “married”. Literally that is humiliating.

        1. Twain Twain

          Exactly, Phil. Talented women want to achieve and attain in their own rights and by their merits.

          1. LE

            Well looking back I can say that all of that pride thing doesn’t end up paying for modern day expenses. At a certain point you need to be practical. Many if not most things in life aren’t fair in the way people want to think that they are. You take the advantages that you have (contacts, help, even your appearance) and you go with it. Or you can sit on your pride and hope that things work out. Maybe they will maybe not. You do what you need to do to increase your changes the way I see it (didn’t always feel that way, hence the ‘looking back’).My wife is a ‘talented woman’. But she always seems to be willing to take any advice I give her in making decisions. That’s smart and practical. Saying ‘I don’t need your help I will do this on my own’ so you can say “I did this on my own” in itself doesn’t go very far, other than in your head.

          2. Twain Twain

            I hear you and get what you’re saying.There are lots of talented women who’ve become hugely successful because of their husbands’ guidance and support, and this is true vice versa.Often, it’s not so much pride as family and cultural norms. In some families, it’s taught that we shouldn’t impose unnecessarily on others. In other families, it’s taught we should ask everyone to solve our problems.

          3. LE

            I had the ‘advantage’ of not having anyone to ask for advice in business as well as general decision making. I have found that tremendously helpful even though it had it’s obvious drawbacks. Hence the ‘quotes’.Learning by trial and error and by fire is no doubt a great experience you don’t forget those lessons and you know them well. You know all of those stories that I tell here. And I have hundreds more each etched into my brain. Upside is you can feel that you are closer to taking full credit for what you have done but then again I am not sure how much that matters in the end.I never really thought of the cultural angle to things actually.I think it also depends on your age. For example someone that is young can afford to make mistakes and learn. Someone that is older doesn’t has as much time.I don’t know what I would have done if I lived elsewhere and actually had someone that I could ask questions to and get answers. The fact is I didn’t. So I did what I had to do. I don’t think I would have had any issues asking questions if the right person was there with the answer.

          4. Twain Twain

            Le, please would you back my trial+error project with AFRICINA then? Thanks.* https://www.kickstarter.com

          5. LE

            Hi – Done!

          6. Twain Twain

            Cheers much! Yes, the project does support US fabric makers, by the way.

          7. PhilipSugar

            +100

          8. PhilipSugar

            It’s not just women, but nobody wants to think they only reason they got in was by marriage. It got worse during Bush II, I am an equal opportunity hater of politicians.

          9. Twain Twain

            Your brother and sister-in-law are lucky they met each other. There are examples of couples who are genuinely married for love and there are also those who marry for convenience.I kid you not, I met a British guy who’d got his green card and he sidled up to me with a view to some kind of arrangement.It was so ridiculous I had to try really hard not to laugh.Unbeknownst to him, my parents’ cousins and childhood friends mostly live in LA and SF and are US citizens. My Dad’s brother is in Dallas and he’s a US citizen. They know loads of people with sons of marrying age, so from the moment I turned 18 — if a marriage of convenience was the objective … I could have married any one of my parents’ friends’ sons.

          10. PhilipSugar

            Well that gives me a different perspective on the questions. I don’t believe discussing anybody’s bedroom behavior is important.

        2. LE

          Literally that is humiliating.Why? When my Uncle came to this country my Dad and my Mom (my Dad came first my mom was born here) had to sign and write a letter (I have the letter) stating that they would support and clean up the mess if my Uncle had any financial problems. That’s a strong incentive to help (this was the 50’s after the war) and make sure the right thing happens. And when my Dad came here a local family sponsored him and put him up in their house he lived there for several years.I guess I don’t get the humiliating part, you do what you have to do to get to where you need to go.

          1. PhilipSugar

            It’s humiliating when you have some bureaucrat ask you:”How do you know they really are in a marriage?””I stay there about every month””Do they sleep together?””Yes””Do they actually sleep together?””Well I assume so they have twins, the boy is a dead ringer for him, and the girl is a dead ringer for his twin sister, I guess our genes are strong”I am very glad it was a private interview.

          2. LE

            Well do you disagree that they have a right to get to the truth or do you not agree with the way they go about it? Do you think they should just take someone’s word for it? Part of the way to get to the truth is by asking questions.What is the more cost effective alternative? [1]Recently I started watching some US Border Security show on Netflix (pretty good not great) and I was amazed at the questions the border security agents ask people who are trying to come in in order to make sure they actually will be returning to their country. (Watch a few episodes and you will see what I am talking about).[1] My guess is that this is no ‘boating accident’ (jaws reference; Richard Dryfuss). They are assessing not only your responses but the way you respond, tone, quickness and so on. For example someone lying who knows the questions might have a quick answer while someone who doesn’t may think the question is funny and joke. I am sure they have a pattern for all of this (similar to patterns that I have developed which I’d be glad to share). Sometimes you ping people in ways that seem strange. Anyway that’s my take from what you are saying.

          3. PhilipSugar

            This is correct this is a common technique. Especially at the border. But I still don’t like it when you go too personal. I was coming back into the U.S. once from Canada and the agent said: “Why are you flying to Philly you live in MD?” I said “it’s closer” He said “no it’s not” I got out a stone (hundred dollar bill) and said “want to bet what google maps says is closer?”Go.Another time: “Are you feeling ok?” “No I am not I ate a warm tuna fish sandwich, it was all they had left, I will give you everything I have on me right now, I need to use the bathroom”Go.

  4. Tom Labus

    Why did it come out of homeland security?

  5. Aneesh Varma

    Thanks Fred.But still concerning to see that 46% of responses opposed this rule in general — despite logical arguments to ensure this brings economic benefit to the country.”Approximately 51 percent of commenters expressed support for the rule and/or offered suggestions for improvement. Nearly 46 percent of commenters expressed general opposition to the rule without suggestions for improvement.”

    1. William Mougayar

      I’m not sure if this is somewhere in the 209 pages document, but in Canada, the startup needs to be funded by a list of approved/accredited investors. That helps in weeding out scams about getting any type of bogus funding.

      1. pointsnfigures

        This is a problem that they have solved. I have had people ask me to write a letter for them so they could stay. I have declined. I feel for them. I think this ruling is a step in the right direction. I’d prefer some people lock themselves in a room and build a new immigration system from the ground up ignoring history and what we have today. Our complicated rules create weird economic incentives that extend into the immigration system of other countries-and perpetuate a black market for immigration. No matter who our President is or the issues that divide us, there is demand to come to the US. It’s a shining city on a hill and a pretty damn good place to be.

    2. LE

      But still concerning to see that 46% of responses opposed this rule in generalPerhaps one of the reasons is that there isn’t an unlimited amount of money to invest in startups. As such a dollar that goes to someone who qualifies under this program means less money for someone who is born in the US. More competition for available slots and investors time and attention and meetings and so on.. It’s not infinite. [1] The fact that there are jobs created (and what jobs are those jobs displacing?) doesn’t wipe out any and all concerns.[1] Same with college applications and some other things which increase pricing like certain types of real estate investment programs.

  6. jason wright

    are we talking about people who arrive on tourist or education visas and go ‘underground’ to start a business?parole, for the crime of innovating and employing. it’s a fucked up globalised world.

  7. Rob Larson

    Definitely a step in the right direction. What are the entrepreneur’s options at the end of the 5 year period?

    1. pointsnfigures

      Maybe that will drive exits. : )

      1. Twain Twain

        IPO within 5 years instead of current 7-10 years maybe.

  8. William Mougayar

    The US should place billboards like this one, in Berlin, London, Paris, Belarus, etc…Canada did this outside SFO on the 101 last year. https://uploads.disquscdn.c

    1. LE

      I think that is a great almost guerilla marketing idea. [1] The headline unfortunately implies this is a waste which it’s not.[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wi

    2. BillMcNeely

      should have replaced problems with eh?

    3. PhilipSugar

      What is crazy is that we don’t say get a STEM degree from a U.S. University and you are in. Why do you have to start a company? Why can’t you just work at one? I would hate that billboard in my town. More than twenty percent of my employees were not born here and I have witnessed their problems.

      1. LE

        get a STEM degree from a U.S. UniversityExcept that takes slots away in theory for US applicants to the same universities. Maybe it needs to be ‘STEM from not the usual high in demand suspects’.This already happens at high ranking state universities where out of state applicants paying full freight push out in state applicants for slots. Not saying there isn’t an upside but that won’t matter to the kid in state who is disadvantaged.

        1. PhilipSugar

          It is reality now. It is reality.

      2. William Mougayar

        you are right re: university degrees. i didn’t know the number, but apparently there are 1 Million foreign students per year attending US universities, 1/3 from China. http://time.com/4569564/int… I don’t know what % end-up staying and integrating into the US workforce, but that is certainly a bonus for the US economy, tech and innovation, because they get the best talent, and they go on to become Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Satya Nadella and scores of other smart engineers and entrepreneurs that the US keeps. Even Einstein, Tim Berners-Lee and Kahlil Gebran were imports that thrived in the US system. No other country comes close to being a sought-after destination for success.I think that DHS program is a tiny speck in the grand scheme of things. It will help of course, but it’s not a panacea.

        1. PhilipSugar

          It is a tiny spec. It does not take away jobs. People come here because we have the best Universities (sorry I am biased) Let them stay.I understand if you are the butcher and a Private Equity firm buys out your grocery chain. They want to “outsource” packing meats to Mexico. They try and get you to quit by transferring you to a store 70 miles away so they won’t have to pay your pension.Yup you are pissed (true story). But have people work and pay taxes here? Go for it. The alternative is they go home and create more jobs there.It is a continuum. People don’t understand this, there are many shades. If both sides could just acknowledge its not about winning it’s about doing what’s right and listening to everybody, we would not have been left with the “choice” we had this year.

      3. Vasudev Ram

        Never thought of it before, but great point. I don’t know details, but I think UK, AU, and Canada do at least give some weightage to people who studied there, for getting a work permit or visa to reside there. Maybe the US does too? Seem to remember reading something like that.

        1. PhilipSugar

          No. I am on record for decades as saying get your degree from an accredited program get a green card stapled to it. I am sitting in a University Town that has 500 foreign undergraduate engineers attending. So you are telling me that we are going educate and send back 125 engineers a year? Idiocy does not begin to describe.You could say no Student Visas. That is just as dumb and our schools wouldn’t be nearly as good, and I would never, ever want, but I could get my head around that better than educate them, and then force them to leave, compete, and pay taxes to another country.Look I understand your anger if you job gets outsourced to another country where the wages are much lower, regulations are less strict (both for nature’s and working environment) and the result of those tremendous savings mean the product that gets shipped back is much cheaper here U.S., but it hollows out the middle of the country.But engineering jobs? Hell Apple says they couldn’t make the iPhone in the U.S. if they wanted. Not enough manufacturing engineering talent.

          1. Vasudev Ram

            >So you are telling me that we are going educate and send back 125 engineers a year? Idiocy does not begin to describe.What the heck are you talking about? Maybe meant to reply to someone else’s comment and instead replied to me? I never said anything like that. In fact I said your original idea was good. See my reply above (copied below):”but great point”>Look I understand your anger if you job gets outsourced to another country where the wages are much lower, regulations are less strict (both for nature’s and working environment) andYou seem to think I am from the US. I am from India. If anything, policies like automatically letting foreign graduates of US STEM degree courses, live and work in the US, is potentially beneficial for people from India and similar countries (if they want to live and work in the US, that is.)Edit: Ok, I think I get it – you were probably trying to reply to LE’s nearby comment.

          2. PhilipSugar

            This is where sometimes things get lost in text.I certainly am not calling you an idiot. I am agreeing with you completely. Totally, completely.The you I am referring to is the U.S. Government policy on not giving Green Cards to all STEM grads is idiotic.If you come to study in the U.S. and earn a degree if you want to stay, I want you to stay, see my other posts I don’t want to see you degraded by the U.S. Government I want to see you embraced with open arms. You don’t need to start a company you can come learn and then do that.Ten percent of my employees were born in India.Ten percent of the Delaware population is Indian.Twenty percent of the kids at the Lego team (which made state’s) we sponsor are second generation.Look at this Temple in a State of less than a million people that is five minutes from my office. I have been there several times: http://hindutemplede.com/See this video: NSFW: https://www.youtube.com/wat…And yes I know you are Indian, that is great in my mind we have set of diverse people here.

          3. Susan Rubinsky

            one of my favorite clips!

          4. Vasudev Ram

            >This is where sometimes things get lost in text.[….snip…]Ok, that clears it up then 🙂 I agree meaning can get lost or misunderstood in text, has happened with me a few times.>Look at this Temple in a State of less than a million people that is five minutes from my office. I have been there several times: http://hindutemplede.com/Had a look. Nice.Will reply again later today with any other comments I may have after checking out the video.

          5. Vasudev Ram

            Checked out the video, it was funny.

          6. Vasudev Ram

            >Ten percent of my employees were born in India.Cool.>Ten percent of the Delaware population is Indian.Interesting.>And yes I know you are Indian, that is great in my mind we have set of diverse people here.Cool.Good to know all of the above …

          7. PhilipSugar

            I travel a ton. I really try to make sure I don’t use American Slang. In this case I did. “You are telling me” or You have got to be kidding me” in slang don’t really mean You as in the person you are talking to.

          8. Vasudev Ram

            Oh, I get it more now. I did know that slang term, but hadn’t seen it used as part of a longer sentence, so thought it was meant literally.

    4. Susan Rubinsky

      They had a social media component. I saw it all over the internet. Bet it cost them a sliver of the budget. Even I was compelled.

    5. James Ferguson @kWIQly

      Ha William – I saw this in Berlin and thought of you ;)However, It used to be that Freedom of movement of Peoples was a thing in Europe (so visa issues for US a complete joke from an EU perspective) – then we had a) Anti-migration referendum in Switzerland b) Brexit, and Now Trump – It seems the Bigots are in the ascendency just as 90 years ago in Europe sadly, however happily irrational hatred will always fail – eventually.

  9. Sam

    Wonderful outcome, but “parole”? Holy shit. What a horrible choice of language.Startup periodLaunch periodProving groundsInitial runwayViability periodJust about *anything* would be better than attaching the world “parole” to immigrants.

  10. ShanaC

    This is very awkwardly set up. Beyond hiring, how is the US government going to judge?

    1. Supratim Dasgupta

      I wish i could Private message the answer.

  11. ErikSchwartz

    “Parole period” might not be the best messaging.

    1. ShanaC

      underestimate of the day 🙂

    2. Supratim Dasgupta

      If i told my Mom, am staying in the US on parole, she will get a heart attack.

  12. Supratim Dasgupta

    Fred, you mention “The official rule also gives entrepreneurs more time to land funding — 18 months instead of one year.” Does it mean entrepreneurs dont have to show 250K funding rightaway and they can show in within 18 months?

    1. Supratim Dasgupta

      Ok i read it here now “DHS has increased the timeframe during which the qualifying investments must be received from 365 days to 18 months immediately preceding the filing of an application for initial parole.”

  13. Supratim Dasgupta

    Fred has explained this so concise and clean that I shared his post on my FB instead of the official federalregister.gov page thanking OBAMA. Thanks Fred!

  14. Salt Shaker

    Interesting that the qualifying criteria is primarily linked to investments raised w/ nary a mention of revenue creation. So, if a company bootstraps at $75-100K and creates $250K in rev they’re toast? Isn’t revenue the Holy Grail and the ultimate measure of a company’s succes? Somehow it too should be part of the evaluative criteria, perhaps as an “either or” (funds raised and/or revenue created).

    1. LE

      and creates $250K in rev they’re toast?….Isn’t revenue the Holy Grail and the ultimate measure of a company’s succes?As with most things though that is easily gamed. As can be done w any metric.One can immediately increase the revenue of most companies by lowering price to the point where you lose money on every transaction. And with creative accounting you can almost in other cases do the same if the metric is profits.I think the point of linking to investments is really just a shortcut to having another party with a vested interest judge the beauty contest as a quick and dirty way to pass judgement w/o having to look impractically into a host of details to get to a similar place.

      1. Salt Shaker

        True, but using VC or PE investments as a primary barometer for company potential, when such investments historically have extremely low exit rates, is a bit troublesome. If the criteria were to change and include revenue as another qualifying option (in lieu of a large fund raise), then perhaps the company would also need to demonstrate profitability, which reduces the prob of “gaming” a company’s top line numbers. Not every successful start up is built on VC funding, and smart ones, if they can avoid, do that. Also, the def for “success” (or “potential”) is quite subjective.

        1. LE

          but using VC or PE investments as a primary barometer for company potential, when such investments historically have extremely low exit ratesI kind of agree with you and as was said in the courtroom scene of Animal House movie then ‘isn’t that an indictment of our entire system?’.I guess the other side of it is this. If someone is taking a flyer with VC or PE investments ‘when such investments historically have extremely low exit rates’ then is it better for the failed entrepreneur to be shipped back to where they came from? Or for one of our own to fail? And then what happens to the others in the field of dreams (employees who lost their jobs) what happens to them?If the pool is larger and the talent is better (in theory because of different motivation and/or life experience) is there a greater chance of success with this foreign talent and consequently a better party for all? One of quite possibly Fred’s or other VC’s motivations.

    2. Vasudev Ram

      Good points. And funding (even large amounts) is no guarantee of success (in getting to revenue and also profits) either. See recent post by Sramana Mitra:Death by overfunding – Nasty Gal:http://www.sramanamitra.com

  15. BillMcNeely

    Molly Cain recently moved from Dallas area Tech Wildcatters to Director of Venture Technology Relationships at U.S. Department of Homeland Security https://www.linkedin.com/in

  16. alg0rhythm

    Fantastic program. Get the business stars from other lands and keep them here. Obama did a lot of not super flashy stuff, really good, and didn’t make too much headway in changing some of the things people wanted to see. His Congresses were borderline, no, actually, treasonous.

  17. creative group

    CONTRIBUTORS:If this drive to support Entrepreneurship by the current administration is viewed as a positive now the incoming Administration will make the positive their negative by fighting it (Difficult to be optimistic with white Nationalistic only theme) and feed into the global Nationalistic theme you can kiss this good bye on arrival.Chinese President Xi Jinping’s the first Head of State to address to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland speech provided the following tidbits“Some people blame globalization for the chaos in our world,”. “That’s not the case… Pursuing protectionism is like locking oneself in a dark room. While wind and rain may be kept outside, so are light and air… No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war.”-Chinese President Xi JinpingXI Jinping even quoted Abraham Lincoln.XI Jinping speech in its entirety:https://www.weforum.org/age…What country could be seen as more Nationalistic or Protectionist than China? Taiwan anyone.

  18. JaredMermey

    What if the business does not require funding and does not create jobs but spits out all whole bunch of revenue and profit?Yes, the business does not create jobs directly which appears to be the intention…but the entrepreneur has a whole bunch of money to (1) spend in the US and/or (2) invest in other US Startups.

  19. Frank W. Miller

    Wow, as if the investor/entrepreneur power equation weren’t lopsided enough. Now the investors are going to bid for who gets to come to this country? What could go wrong?

  20. jason wright

    “Parole” is an absurd name to use to market this scheme. It’s very revealing of the internal power politics of Homeland Security.France just announced its own scheme. It’s a competitive world. We may have already witnessed Peak Valley. Every empire falls.

  21. LIAD

    I’ll make sure to bring my hard hat

  22. JimHirshfield

    What if your startup’s product is a digital wall…a forcefield?

  23. Girish Mehta

    A firewall.

  24. pointsnfigures

    A wide brimmed one keeps the sun off better.

  25. Twain Twain

    Charlie, check out where cooking is on the Pyramid of Technology. So you top all of us! https://uploads.disquscdn.c