190+ ABIC employers – farmers, ranchers, construction, eldercare/healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturers descended on Washington, D.C., this week with one unified message:
Congress and the President must act now on work permits for our essential immigrant workers, and citizenship for Dreamers, to keep our businesses running, our economy growing and to lower costs for everyday Americans.
Hailing from across the country, our businesses met with 214 Republican and Democratic Senators and Congresspeople, and the Administration.
Highlights from the ABIC Policy Summit
Top: Republican Congresswoman Maria Salazar (R-FL), Chief sponsor of the Dignity Act with Florida businesses, and during her fireside chat with ABIC CEO Rebecca Shi and Comité de 100 Co-Chair and Precision Task Force CEO Massey Villarreal. Middle: U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) at his fireside chat with ABIC CEO Shi and AZ Hispanic Chamber CEO Monica Villalobos, and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall with KS Livestock Association CEO Matt Teagarden. Bottom: Policy Panel
We kicked off the week with ABIC’s “Secure America Workforce” National Policy Summit, bringing together bipartisan lawmakers and top industry voices to discuss the urgent need to modernize our immigration system, lower prices, and drive economic growth for all Americans.
The summit opened with a fireside chat with U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), ABIC CEO Rebecca Shi, and Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Monica Villalobos, emphasizing the economic, moral and political urgency of legal paths and work permits for essential workers.
U.S. Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) joined Comité de 100 Co-Chair and Precision Task Force CEO Massey Villarreal to discuss bipartisan solutions like the Dignity Act, which would create a pathway to legal status for long term law abiding immigrant essential workers and secure the border. Read about the Dignity Act here.
Congresswoman Salazar’s remarks from the ABIC Policy Summit on the current mass deportation strategy were viewed and shared widely online on ABIC’s Tik Tok page:
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall also joined the summit and called for commonsense immigration reform on behalf of the nation’s farmers during a fireside chat with Matt Teagarden, Chair of the ABIC Agriculture Council and CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association.
Farmers working with ABIC sent a letter to President Trump and Congress this week, which was cover exclusively by Bloomberg HERE, urging support for work permits to ensure a stable workforce that can continue feeding America.
Throughout the day, the conversations underscored a clear message: work permits and legal standing for immigrant essential workers are key to lowering food prices, stabilizing industries, and ensuring America’s continued prosperity.
Businesses Met 200+ Senators and Congresspeople
ABIC business leaders joined a marathon 214 Congressional meetings, including meeting with 70 Members of Congress directly (not their staff). Our business leaders and advocates delivered a unified message that America’s economic future depends on a stable, legal workforce, and the need for work permits for essential immigrant workers impacts all industries in every state.
Top: Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, with members of the ABIC Agriculture Council. Middle: Senator Todd Young (R-IN) with the Indiana Dairymen’s Association, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) with Wisconsin business leaders.
Bottom: Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) with Arizona business leaders
For some attendees, this was their first Fly-in and the dire consequences their business and workforce are facing drove them to take action. Dairy farmers connected with eldercare providers and construction executives; chefs and restaurateurs found common experiences with Cabinet manufacturers.
Bringing their broad backgrounds and experiences together to strengthen the call to action for work permits, leaders rallied around the need for progress and accountability from bipartisan lawmakers.
Growing momentum behind commonsense, bipartisan immigration solutions such as the Dignity Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act in our meetings with Congressional leaders.
Top: Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Iowa business leaders and American Families United. Bottom: Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Illinois business leaders.
On the Capitol Steps, Bipartisan Cooperation and Voices of Our Business Leaders Took Center Stage
At the Secure America’s Workforce press conference, Dignity Act Chief Sponsor Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) and Co-sponsor Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY-3) spoke about moving forward bipartisan solutions, like the Dignity Act, in service of the American economy and the American people demanding action.
Watch highlights from Rep. Salazar’s remarks:
“The workforce right now is being decimated. We have a labor shortage of 1.7 million people in these key industries.” –U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27)
Watch highlights from Rep. Suozzi’s remarks:
“People are sick of Democrats and Republicans fighting with each other and not solving real problems affecting real lives. It hurts to see immigration become such a negative issue.” – U.S Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-3)
We also heard from ABIC CEO Rebecca Shi and vital voices across industries, sharing the impact they are hearing and seeing first hand.
Read a few highlighted remarks below and follow us to see more:
ABIC on Tik Tok | ABIC on X | ABIC on Instagram | ABIC on Facebook | ABIC on LinkedIn
Matt Teagarden, CEO, Kansas Livestock Association (watch highlights):“More than 2.1 million immigrants currently work in the U.S. food supply chain. If we lose them, we lose the ability to feed ourselves…Mr. President, the window to protect our farmers is closing. America needs a work permit program for the immigrant workers who sustain our farms and ranches.”
Rob Liebreich, President & CEO, Goodwin Living and member of LeadingAge (VA):“Organizations in every state in service to older adults are struggling to fill shifts …We need to embrace people who want to be in this great country, pay taxes, and possess a passion and ability to serve older adults.”
Rita Siebenaler, Senior Resident, Goodwin House (VA):“Don’t deny us trusted caregivers. The majority of caretakers in the U.S. happen to be foreign-born. They are necessary. They are irreplaceable.”
Byron Gomez, Chef-Partner, Brutø (CO):
Tracy B. Gonzalez, American Families United (GA):
“There are more than 1.4 million Americans living this same nightmare: hardworking families who love this country and just want the chance to stay together.”
Check out some of the coverage of ABIC’s Fly in and recent work:
ABC National News, Politico, Bloomberg Government, McKnights Senior Living, El Pais, Telemundo Washington
Chefs and Hospitality Leaders Take Collective Action with Seat the Table and the ABIC Fly-In
Top chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality leaders joined in all the ABIC Fly-in activities as part of Seat the Table, a campaign led by ABIC Action, the James Beard Foundation, and 18 additional hospitality partners.
Participants shared their stories and struggles with the labor crisis in the hospitality industry and the urgent need to stabilize the workforce and address the fears of so many hospitality workers.
Reflecting on the Fly-in, Seat the Table members had this to share:
“This experience in Washington has changed my view of activism,” said Kristen Rauch, Executive Director of Eat Denver said. “Everyone I’ve met has a story, a deep care for our future, and a desire for proactive change – regardless of political affiliation, district, or industry.”
“Every sector of the hospitality industry is deeply impacted by the lack of immigration solutions, and expressing that together helps underscore that for our members of Congress,” said Anne McBride, VP of Impact at the James Beard Foundation.
“It showed how chefs, restaurateurs, and advocates from across the country, with all political views, can unite,” said Andrew Ridgie, Executive Director, the NYC Hospitality Alliance. “Now it’s time for our elected leaders to follow their constituents’ example and act. If we can do it, they can too.“
Businesses from every sector left D.C. energized and committed to continuing their work together to secure America’s workforce and strengthen the nation’s economy. We thank each and every one of you for your time, your energy, your heart and dedication!
Thank you to our Sponsors:
This week’s Fly-In & Policy Summit would not have been possible without the generous support of our event sponsors:
Koch and Co., National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Precision Task Group, The Rios Group, Cambridge Caregivers, James Beard Foundation, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and American Families United.
We thank you for your support!
Get Involved
1. Join one of ABIC’s Councils of 100 and let your voice be heard with your peers – sign up here. The Council of 100 is a coalition of top business leaders working for common-sense workforce solutions.
2. Share your story: If your business is interested in engaging with the press as part of ABIC or amplifying your story on social media, take this quick survey to let us know your preferences.
3. We’re hiring! ABIC is looking for a National Field Director to help lead our national campaigns. Learn more and apply here.