Business leaders tell Trump, Congress: End the shutdown, sit down and negotiate — and protect the DREAMers
In his national announcement Saturday from the White House, President Trump outlined a proposal to end the government shutdown, offering temporary protections for DACA recipients and immigrants with TPS in exchange for the $5.7 billion for a border wall. Walls are permanent, and the protections for DREAMers and TPS holders should be, too.
As a member of a multi-state business coalition, we call on President Trump to immediately reopen the federal government and provide relief for federal employees. We call on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to advance a clean Dream Act, and we urge both sides to sit down and negotiate permanent protections for 1.7 million DREAMers and 400,000 immigrants with TPS.
Hundreds of business leaders, Republicans and Democrats, across the country join us in these goals as members of the The IMPAC FUND/American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), which promotes for immigration reform that advances economic competitiveness, provides American companies with both the high-skilled and low-skilled talent they need, and allows the integration of immigrants into our economy as consumers, workers, entrepreneurs and citizens.
According to a study conducted by the libertarian CATO Institute, the U.S. Treasury will take in $92 billion in the next 10 years if DREAMers are permitted to stay here, work and pay taxes. Allowing DREAMers and their parents to apply for citizenship is a good economic and moral investment for our country.
In most polls, some 85 percent of Americans agree these DREAMers should be allowed to stay here, work and study. And in a recent Fox News poll nearly six in 10 Americans favor allowing all undocumented immigrants to remain in the country and eventually qualify for citizenship. As a conservative, I ask, When is it conservative to not allow people to work and pay taxes? Giving DREAMers and their parents this opportunity would be good for them; and a better deal for our country. As employers, dreamers and their parents whom we know have demonstrated motivation, work ethic and entrepreneurship that allow our nation to compete and lead in a modern economy.
As a member of a multi-state business coalition, we call on President Trump to immediately reopen the federal government and provide relief for federal employees. We call on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to advance a clean Dream Act, and we urge both sides to sit down and negotiate permanent protections for 1.7 million DREAMers and 400,000 immigrants with TPS.
Hundreds of business leaders, Republicans and Democrats, across the country join us in these goals as members of the The IMPAC FUND/American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), which promotes for immigration reform that advances economic competitiveness, provides American companies with both the high-skilled and low-skilled talent they need, and allows the integration of immigrants into our economy as consumers, workers, entrepreneurs and citizens.
According to a study conducted by the libertarian CATO Institute, the U.S. Treasury will take in $92 billion in the next 10 years if DREAMers are permitted to stay here, work and pay taxes. Allowing DREAMers and their parents to apply for citizenship is a good economic and moral investment for our country.
In most polls, some 85 percent of Americans agree these DREAMers should be allowed to stay here, work and study. And in a recent Fox News poll nearly six in 10 Americans favor allowing all undocumented immigrants to remain in the country and eventually qualify for citizenship. As a conservative, I ask, When is it conservative to not allow people to work and pay taxes? Giving DREAMers and their parents this opportunity would be good for them; and a better deal for our country. As employers, dreamers and their parents whom we know have demonstrated motivation, work ethic and entrepreneurship that allow our nation to compete and lead in a modern economy.
Our national unemployment rate of 4 percent, combined with historically low fertility, is contributing to a growing labor shortage across industries. Immigrants at both high- and low-skilled ends of the spectrum are who our economy needs. Immigrants are good for American business.
Why shouldn’t Congress and the president take advantage of the best opportunity we’ve had for years to come together and make a deal? End the shutdown. Put our talented DREAMers and their parents to work legally, pay taxes and grow the economy. Immigration reform is economically important, politically smart and morally right.
Mike Fernandez is a healthcare industry businessman, investor and philanthropist.. He is chairman of the IMPAC Fund (Immigration Partnership and Coalition Fund), which focuses on elevating the voice of the business community in the immigration debate and the protection of immigrants. He is co-chairman of the American Business Immigration Coalition.
Editor’s note: This op-ed has been updated to include President Trump’s announcement of his proposal to end the government shutdown.
This story was originally published January 18, 2019 at 6:10 PM.