Business Leaders And Donors Welcome Early Senate Hearing on Mayorkas To Lead DHS
WASHINGTON, DC — The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee announced that it will hold a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on January 19, a day before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. This move raises hopes that the new administration will be able to quickly confirm Mayorkas and begin the important work of strengthening our national security and economic recovery from COVID-19.
The hearing was announced by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), incoming chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the ranking incoming member. Business leaders, donors and advocates sent this letter urging committee members to support Mayorkas’ confirmation. Mayorkas was a former Deputy Secretary of DHS and former director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Mayorkas would be the first Latino to lead the agency. His family came to the United States as refugees fleeing communist Cuba.
John Rowe, Exelon Chairman Emeritus and American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) Co-Chair: “At a time of great instability, we need an experienced leader to help rebuild DHS and restore credibility to the department. I will contact Republican Senators to encourage support. It should be an easy vote. Nobody will be “primaried” because of their votes to confirm Mayorkas.”
Sam Scott, Ingredion Incorporated Retired CEO, and ABIC Co-Chair:
“Mr. Mayorkas is respected by the business community and elected officials from both parties for his work as the Senate-confirmed director of USCIS and as the Senate confirmed Deputy Secretary of DHS during the Obama administration. In both agencies he accomplished some of the most difficult tasks with the utmost competency and compassion. He is widely known for his role implementing DACA.”
Mike Fernandez, MBF Healthcare Partners Chairman and ABIC Co-Chair:
“As Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Mr. Mayorkas ran a department that professionally and speedily processed a wide range of visas essential to our business community, including high-skilled, entrepreneur, agriculture, and temporary worker visas. Some of these visas have been threatened or severely reduced under the Trump administration, harming businesses and families alike.
President-Elect Biden will need someone with a proven track record who can hit the ground running on day one. Mr. Mayorkas would be well-positioned to repair, rebuild and revitalize the third-largest agency in the federal government, vital to our national security and recovery from Covid 19.”
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The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) promotes commonsense immigration reform that advances economic competitiveness, provides 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.