“Immigrant workers are a critical component for calming the current hike in inflation. Labor shortages result in construction delays, higher production costs, and lower inventory levels, which all lead to inflation.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) delivered a letter (full text below) to President Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, signed by 10 major construction and broadband industry leaders of companies and organizations from six states across the nation, pushing for inclusion of immigration provisions in the reconciliation bill.
Congress’ recent enactment of a historic, bipartisan infrastructure package came in the midst of the U.S. construction and broadband industries’ struggles with unprecedented labor shortages. Currently, there are more than 300,000 jobs unfilled in the construction industry, and that is not taking into account all the new jobs that will be created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which funds roads, bridges, rails and broadband networks.
“Immigrant workers are a critical component for calming the current hike in inflation. Labor shortages result in construction delays, higher production costs, and lower inventory levels, which all lead to inflation,” the business leaders said.
“Congress must pass permanent immigration solutions so that President Biden’s landmark, bipartisan, $1.2 trillion infrastructure investment program, which we greatly support, can be completed in a timely manner and help our economy during the post-COVID-19 period,” the letter stated.
Currently, immigrants comprise 62 percent of all plasterers and stucco masons in the U.S. and 55 percent of all drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers. The proposal now pending in Congress would allow an estimated seven million people – including millions of Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, farmworkers and essential workers – to apply for temporary work authorizations and protections from deportation and ease the labor shortage.
“The immigration proposal now pending would allow about 7 million temporary permits for immigrants without documents to remain in the U.S. and work. This is a good first step towards easing the need for good workers,” the business leaders noted. However, they clearly stated that this stop-gap measure does not obviate the need for a permanent path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
“From our standpoint, temporary permits are worthy but offer no assurance that our employees can stabilize their lives with their families and grow their careers with us. As we have seen with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, their lives are in limbo, wondering if a new presidential action or court order could lead to their deportations to countries they do not know,” the letter stated.
The letter’s signatories include:
- Steve Chanen, President & CEO, Chanen Construction Company, Inc. – Arizona
- Raul Estrada, CEO, Marcer Construction – Texas
- Stan Marek, CEO, Marek Family of Companies – Texas
- J. Doug Pruitt, Retired Chairman, Sundt Construction – Arizona
- Kevin Smith, Vice President, Unforgettable Coatings, Inc. – Utah
- Khalid Muneer, President, Jupiter Properties Inc., Orlando, Florida
- Sergio Pino, President & CEO, Century Homebuilders Group, Miami, Florida
- Kerem Durdag, President and Chief Operating Officer, GWI, Inc., Maine
- Mark Ouellette, CEO, Axiom Technologies, Maine
- Jacqueline Gomez, Executive Director, Hispanic American Construction Industry Association, Illinois
Background: The House-passed provisions pending in the Senate would allow undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S. with temporary work authorization and deportation protections. To qualify, a person would have to prove continuous residency in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2011; have completed a background check; pay a fee and not be inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act for certain criminal, national security or other grounds.
The bill’s proposed population includes more than 2 million Dreamers who came to the U.S. as children, including all of those individuals currently protected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), nearly 500,000 people who are eligible for or currently protected by Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and an estimated 4.2 million essential workers, including more than 500,000 farmworkers.
These work authorizations reflect an existing program that has been used by presidents in both parties to bring in a number of groups to the U.S since the 1950s. Those included Cuban refugees in the 1960s, Nicaraguan refugees in the 1980s, and Afghan nationals currently settling in the U.S. after the recent chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops there.
With more than 10 million job openings across the country, this proposal will help to bring people out of the shadows, work legally, help address the current labor shortage and keep families together.
FULL LETTER:
Dear Mr. President, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Schumer,
As construction industry and infrastructure leaders and members of the bipartisan American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), we write to you with great urgency in support of legislation that would provide a path to citizenship and, minimally, work permits for undocumented workers in the U.S. in order to address dire labor shortages that are a contributing factor to unmet consumer demand and rising inflation — issues that may be amplified by the bipartisan infrastructure law.
The immigration proposal now pending would allow about 7 million temporary permits for immigrants without documents to remain in the U.S. and work. This is a good first step towards easing the need for good workers. But we need more. Congress must pass permanent immigration solutions so that President Biden’s landmark, bipartisan, $1.2 trillion infrastructure investment program, which we greatly support, can be completed in a timely manner and help our economy during the post-COVID-19 period. Studies show permanent legal status for America’s 11 million undocumented immigrants would add $121 billion per year into the U.S. economy each year, yielding an additional $31 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues.
Indeed, immigrant workers are a critical component for calming the current hike in inflation. Labor shortages result in construction delays, higher production costs, and lower inventory levels, which all lead to inflation. Why are we not allowing immigrants who have lived here for 20 years on average, and have U.S.-citizen children, apply for permanent legalization and citizenship? As an ABIC battleground poll showed, voters support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants by a 3-to-1 margin, even if part of a reconciliation bill advanced by one political party.
From our standpoint, temporary permits are worthy but offer no assurance that our employees can stabilize their lives with their families and grow their careers with us. As we have seen with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, their lives are in limbo, wondering if a new presidential action or court order could lead to their deportations to countries they do not know.
As you schedule votes in coming days and weeks, remember that immigrants are the solution, not the problem, to growing our economy and bringing down inflation. They are worthy of long-term solutions as well.