[PRESS CONFERENCE]
As Utah Struggles With Labor Shortages, Business and Community Leaders Join Dreamers in Urging Sens. Romney and Lee to Back Bipartisan Immigration Bills
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — With Utah hard hit by long-term labor shortages that have grown more severe during the pandemic, business and community leaders will stand alongside Dreamers to urge Utah’s Republican Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee that immigrant workers are vital to the state’s workforce and key to our economic recovery.
The American Business Immigration Coalition Intermountain Chapter, Salt Lake City Chamber, New American Economy, Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association, Utah World Trade Center, Nightingale College, and Mormon Women for Ethical Government will hold the news conference Wednesday, July 14, at the World Trade Center (60 East South Temple, Suite 300) in Salt Lake City, at 3:30 pm MT.
The groups are calling on Utah’s senators to support bipartisan immigration reform, including the Bennett-Crapo Senate companion bill to the House’s Farm Workforce Modernization Act; the bipartisan DREAM Act sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and the SECURE Act.
The labor shortage in Utah is critical and Dreamers are vital to the state’s workforce and economy. Nearly 95% of the DACA-eligible population in Utah is employed.
Participants include:
- Bob Worsley, Former Republican Arizona State Senator, ABIC Co-Chair and Founder of SkyMall
- Miles Hansen, President and CEO, World Trade Center Utah
- Enrique Sanchez, Dreamer and civilian employee for Park City Police Department
- Derek Miller, President and CEO, SLC Chamber of Commerce
- Michele Corigliano, Executive Director, Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association
- Mikhail Shneyder, President and CEO, Nightingale College
- Rep. Robert Spendlove, Utah State Representative (R)
About
The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) Intermountain Chapter represents a growing group of business, faith, and immigrant advocates from Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nevada. Home to over 2 million immigrants, our Intermountain region benefits by almost $100 billion annually from the economic contributions and talents of these individuals, and we believe that with the right legislative solutions, they will continue to play a key role in our economy and our region’s future.
The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) promotes common sense 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.
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