FWD.us Joins More Than 80 of the Nation’s Top Businesses to Urge Congress to Protect Dreamers, Citing Impending “Crisis” if Congress Fails to Act on DACA

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  • FWD.us Joins More Than 80 of the Nation’s Top Businesses to Urge Congress to Protect Dreamers, Citing Impending “Crisis” if Congress Fails to Act on DACA

Top Employers Send Joint Letter to Congressional Leaders in Full-Page Ad Today

DENVER, CO  — FWD.us today joined more than more than 80 of the nation’s top businesses and business leaders in sending a joint letter to congressional leaders of both parties outlining why Congress must take up and swiftly pass legislation this year that will help protect Dreamers, U.S. companies, and the country. 

Businesses and associations like Apple, the Boulder Chamber, Ernst & Young, Google, Microsoft, Molson Coors Beverage Company, the Vail Valley Partnership, and Western Union – which represent some of the largest employers in Colorado– are co-signers of the letter.

The new letter and urgent call for action also ran as a full-page advertisement in today’s Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News, and Charlotte Observer. 

Key excerpts from the letter include:

  • “We write on behalf of thousands of U.S. businesses, large and small, that represent every major sector of the U.S. economy and more than half of America’s private sector workers. Collectively, we represent the backbone of an American economy facing tremendous workforce challenges as a result of the pandemic. We face another crisis if Congress fails to act on an issue that has strong bipartisan support from the American people.”

 

  • “Given that DACA applications and renewals were granted on a rolling basis, the end to this program means that an estimated 22,000 jobs would be lost every month for two years. That is roughly 1,000 job losses per business day at a time when the U.S. economy already faces significant workforce shortages. When the last DACA recipient’s work permit expires, the U.S. will have lost more than 500,000 jobs, and the U.S. economy will lose as much as $11.7 billion annually – or roughly $1 billion monthly – in wages from previously employed DACA recipients.”

 

  • “For the last several years, this coalition has called upon Congress to act by passing a permanent, bipartisan legislative solution that would enable Dreamers who are currently living, working, and contributing to our communities to continue doing so. Poll after poll has shown strong majorities of Americans in both political parties, including 71 percent of “conservatives,” support protecting Dreamers.”

 

  • “The 5th Circuit Court’s ruling makes it clear that Congress cannot afford to ignore this issue any longer. Bipartisan measures have already been introduced in the U.S. House and Senate. We urge you to swiftly pass legislation this year that will help Dreamers, American businesses, and our country.”

 

The full letter and quotes from Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation, can be viewed here.