| WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2024—Today, the American Immigration Council joins over 100 business organizations, including chambers of commerce and trade associations throughout the country, to call on the Biden administration to address the work permit backlogs. The letter urges the Biden administration to prioritize the processing of initial and renewal work permit applications. According to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, “a big part of the story of the labor market coming back into better balance is immigration returning to levels that were more typical of the pre-pandemic era.” Increased numbers of immigrant workers have helped stave off a recession and boost the economy, with the U.S. outperforming its peers around the world as economies recovered post-pandemic. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that increased immigration will swell the U.S. economy by $7 trillion over the next decade and reduce the U.S. national debt by $900 billion — an undeniable testament to the importance of the immigrant workforce for our collective livelihood.This letter was organized in partnership with the Refugee Advocacy Lab and was released alongside a growing movement across the country led by groups including the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, calling for administrative solutions to address the work permit backlog. The following is a statement from Rich André, director of State and Local Initiatives at the American Immigration Council: “Communities across the country need workers to fill jobs and support local economies. Swift action is necessary to address the work permit backlog, which hinders economic growth and prevents businesses from accessing the talent they need. Immigrant workers are essential to filling critical labor needs and shortages across the country; reducing work permit backlogs will ensure that immigrants can contribute to our economy without unnecessary delays, strengthening the U.S. workforce and promoting long-term economic resilience.”The following is a statement from Kate Brick, executive director of the Refugee Advocacy Lab: “With labor shortages across critical industries in communities nationwide, and more than a million people who are waiting to be able to work and provide for their families, we urge the administration to do everything in its power to reduce the backlog in work permit processing. As the 100+ business groups from across the country can attest, the longer it takes, the more missed opportunity there is to maximize the talent of people who want to work and contribute to the vitality of their local economies.”The following is a statement from Conchita Cruz, co-executive director at the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), a membership organization of over 600,000 asylum seekers: “Immigrants are employed as healthcare providers, truck drivers, teachers, construction workers and more, and they want to be able to continue to work and contribute to their communities in the United States. Our members are an integral part of the U.S. labor force and have already been affected by work permit processing delays, forcing their employers to put them on leave and to scramble to cover their critical work. The U.S. government must focus on eliminating the work permit backlog — for the sake of immigrants and the communities that depend on them.” The following is a statement from Misty Chally, executive director of the Critical Labor Coalition:“If every unemployed person today found a job, there would still be 1.24 million open jobs. Concurrently, there are over 1 million work permit applications waiting to be processed. There are people in this country wanting to work while employers are searching for employees. Let’s use common sense, put politics aside and help solve the labor shortage by addressing the work permit backlog.”The following is a statement from Justin Yancy, president of the Texas Business Leadership Council:“Every day, I hear from business leaders across Texas about their urgent need for workers, with over 800,000 open jobs in the state. The long wait times for work permits are preventing businesses from accessing a willing workforce. By addressing the backlog, we can help fill critical positions in industries like healthcare and manufacturing and strengthen our workforce—a win for Texas businesses and communities across the state.”Letter signatories include:Access Community CareADC Immigration Law, LLCAmerican Business Immigration CoalitionAmerican Council of Engineering Companies of ColoradoAM Legal Documents Corp.Ann Arbor SPARKApfel Law GroupAssociated General Contractors of MaineBirdwell & Aamold, P.C.Borderplex AllianceBoundless ImmigrationCedar Rapids Metro Economic AllianceCifuentes Escalona Garces LawColorado Business RoundtableColumbia Group LLLPColumbus (OH) Chamber of CommerceConvergent Science, Inc.Copper Mountain ResortCozen O’ConnorCritical Labor CoalitionDallas Regional ChamberEastern FloralEl Paso ChamberEl Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Fort Bend ChamberFeyen ZylstraFrey Immigration Law Firm PLLCFurniture FriendsGallegos CorpGarza LaborGlobal DetroitGrace Management Group LLCGrand Rapids ChamberGreater Hamilton Chamber of CommerceGreater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of CommerceGreater Kansas City Chamber of CommerceGreater Medina Chamber of CommerceGreater Omaha ChamberGreater Topeka ChamberGWI, Inc.Headbloom Cross-Cultural CommunicationHost-A-ScholarHughes Nursery & LandscapingHunt Companies, Inc.ImLaw, PCInvestUPJ. Aponte & Associates, LLCJ. Canavati & Co. LLCJan Joseph Bejar, APLCJoseph M Rollo and Associates PCJust Right StrategyKleiman International ConsultantsKobi’s PlaceKy-Win LLCLancaster Chamber of CommerceLanguage Equity & Access Partners (LEAP)Law Office of Amy Maldonado, LLCLaw Office of Angelique Montano PLLCLaw Office of Christine ContrerasLaw Office of Megan GuzmanLaw Office of Muna JondyLaw Office of Ralf D. Wiedemann LLCLaw Office of Richard J DavisLaw Offices of Danielle NelisseLaw Offices of Mariela CaravettaLaw Offices of Shirley SadjadiLima Expeditions, LLCLocke Immigration Law LLCLongview TX Chamber of CommerceLuke’s LobsterMatrix LawMichigan Works! AssociationMiller JohnsonMixed Staffing and RecruitingMokhiber & Moretti PLLCNixon Peabody LLPNorthern Michigan Chamber AllianceNorth Texas CommissionOBG CenterOhio African Chamber of CommerceOhio Hotel & Lodging AssociationOhio Life Sciences AssociationPrinceton Mercer Regional ChamberPro 15Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central FloridaRegionomics LLCReno + Sparks Chamber of CommerceRetail Association of MaineSaev Hernandez Immigration Practice PLLCSan Diego Regional Chamber of CommerceSeaport Law Group LLPSeth C. Addo-Yobo, Attorney At LawSmall Business Association of MichiganSmall Business MajorityState Business ExecutivesTailwind Immigration Law, LLCTakhsh Law, P.C.Tampa Bay Latin Chamber of CommerceTeresa Salazar-Cosmos, Law OfficeTexas Business Leadership CouncilThe Chamber of Commerce for Greater PhiladelphiaTraverse ConnectUnited States Hispanic Chamber of CommerceUpbeat Financial Inc.Urban EvolutionUSAHelloVail Valley PartnershipVenezuelan American ChamberVoices For Health, Inc.Western Ohio Cut Stone |
US Immigration – Business Organizations Ask Biden Administration to Address Work Permit Backlog
