The Coalition for the American Dream organized a letter that was sent to President Biden and Congressional leaders on Wednesday, July 28th, 2021.
This letter was signed by more than 90 CEOs, including Andy Jassy (Amazon), Tim Cook (Apple), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Sundar Pichai (Alphabet), Brad Smith (Microsoft), along with Verizon, General Motors, Visa, Target, Uber, among others. Leaders of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other business organizations, also signed.
In the letter, the chief executives urged lawmakers to pass a law that would offer a citizenship path for Dreamers, or young immigrants brought to the country as children. They said that thousand of DREAMers were “valued employees at our companies”. Bloomberg has reported.
Approximately, 800,000 DREAMers came to the U.S. as kids. They have been raised as Americans, and the love the country as their fellow Americans do. DACA is a temporary solution and a lifeline, but it is time for them to get a path to permanent residence and citizenship. Since it’s based solely on executive actions, DREAMers always face the risk that a simple policy change or court decision could completely upend their lives. They need a real solution.
Over 97 percent of the 800,000 “dreamers” who qualify for the program are in school or the workforce. Many serve in the armed forces.
Fact: 78% of Americans believe that DACA recipients should be able to remain in America.
An everyday larger and growing majority of Americans believe that finding common ground will help fix our immigration system and build a better country for everyone.
This letter came to join another letter sent to Trump Administration in 2017 and that was signed by 8 CEOs, including Jeff Bezos, Jack Dorsey, Warren Buffet and Tim Cook. It was sent as a response to the Federal court ruling against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). To this date, there is a new Federal Court ruling against DACA.
The letter from the CEOs is likely meant to put pressure on Republican lawmakers who are likely to oppose Democrats’ efforts to create a path to citizenship for DREAMers, DACA, Agricultural workers and TPS holders. Democrats already passed in Congress the Secure Act, but it is likely to die in the Senate due to the Filibuster. Reconciliation would be the next hope for more than 11 million immigrants already living in the U.S.
DREAMers and DACA recipients are a huge part of the backbone of the U.S. economy. CEOs know it, majority of Americans know it. Next stop, Republican lawmakers.
According to Bloomberg, the letter was organized by the Coalition for the American Dream, an organization of companies and interest groups that support reforming U.S. immigration laws.