Immigrants are heart of local economies. Our success is threatened without them. | Opinion
The Mirror Lake Inn at Lake Placid, home of Olympic 'Miracle on Ice,' is now run by our son, an Olympian skier. But we can't win without immigrants, the lifeblood of our local economy and culture.
As the owner of the Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa in Lake Placid, New York, I have had the privilege of being part of a community that embodies the best of America’s welcoming spirit. While our town is often associated with the grandeur of the Olympics and the iconic 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” those of us who live here know that Lake Placid’s true magic lies in its people ‒ including those who have journeyed from across the globe to make this community their home.
Since 1977, my family has owned and operated the Mirror Lake Inn. My own story is rooted in immigration. My family fled political turmoil in eastern Germany before World War I, eventually finding a new beginning just outside New York City. Like so many, our journey to Lake Placid was part of a broader American story ‒ one of perseverance, opportunity and the promise of a better life.
I’ve been proud to see my family become part of the fabric of this special place, Lake Placid ‒ which hosted the Olympics in 1980 and bore witness to the historic “Miracle on Ice” victory of the American hockey team over the Soviet Union. Our family journey in this country has come full circle, as my son Andrew Weibrecht represented the United States as an Olympic skier and brought two medals back home.
Andrew now manages our family inn, and we see the same promise of America that has brought Venezuelan immigrants to our community.
Our employees include immigrants: They are family
Over the decades, we have learned an enduring truth: Immigrants are the lifeblood of our local economy and culture. Today, more than 20% of our staff are immigrants, many of whom hold Temporary Protected Status (TPS) visas.
These individuals have not only contributed to the success of the Mirror Lake Inn but have also become integral members of our community. These are hardworking individuals who’ve escaped violence and hardship in search of safety and stability.
At our inn that dates to the mid-1920s, immigrants are more than employees ‒ they are family, working alongside us to keep our doors open, serve our guests and make sure that the Mirror Lake Inn is ready for its next century of operation.
Today, however, their future is under threat.
The Trump administration’s recent decision to revoke TPS for Venezuelans risks turning their lives upside down, stripping them of stability and thrusting them back into uncertainty. This decision could force thousands of families ‒ many of whom have lived and worked in the United States for years ‒ into the shadows, or back into horrific conditions of extreme poverty or persecution.
For Lake Placid ‒ and for rural America ‒ this is nothing short of a crisis.
America is grappling with labor shortages. We need immigrants.
We are already grappling with labor shortages across nearly every sector: at inns like ours, farms, hospitals and schools.
As the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported last month: "Right now, the latest data shows that we have 8 million job openings in the U.S. but only 6.8 million unemployed workers."
Immigrants and newcomers have thankfully stepped into this void.
Instead of “taking” jobs and public resources, they are “giving” their work and energies to our communities. And they are not just filling jobs and paying taxes, they are helping build the future of our towns. They are buying homes, enrolling their children in our schools and contributing to the vibrancy of our neighborhoods.
Without these new arrivals, our businesses, our towns and our communities will suffer, and I urge our politicians to reverse the harmful TPS revocation and restore TPS protections.
But my call today is to go one step further.
What we ‒ as rural Americans and small business owners ‒ really need is for our federal government to enact immigration policies that provide stability for these families, recognize their contributions, and give them the dignity and safety they seek.
I know that’s not the tenor of the conversation in Washington, D.C. So I invite our elected leaders to come to Lake Placid: to meet the workers who greet our guests, prepare meals and keep our Mirror Lake Inn running smoothly.
Their stories, their spirit and their unshakeable belief in the American dream are powerful reminders of what is at stake ‒ not just for them, but for all of us.
America’s strength lies in its diversity and its tradition of welcoming those in need. It is a tradition that has shaped the story of the Weibrechts, my business and my community. It is a tradition I’m ready to fight for ‒ and it is one that must guide our nation’s policies, today and in the future.
Ed Weibrecht is the owner and operator of the Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa in Lake Placid, New York.