One Hundred RGV Businesses Sign Letters in Support of DACA and DAPA

San Juan, TX—La Union del Pueblo Entero has gathered letters from over one hundred RGV businesses declaring their support for the Deferred Action immigration programs announced by President Obama in November of 2014. Businesses tout the gains the programs would bring to our state’s economy and tax revenue. Joining LUPE in calling for implementation of the deferred action programs are RGV construction giant Cantu Construction and regional supermarket chain Supermercados Morelos.

There are at least 1,464,000 undocumented immigrants living in Texas. Approximately 746,000 of them are eligible for one of the President’s deferred action programs. Enabling these immigrants to request a reprieve from removal and apply for a temporary work permit would increase Texas revenues by $338 million over five years, and lead to a cascade of economic benefits across the state over the next decade. According to a recent study by the Center for American Progress, these economic benefits include:
• A $38,271,000,000 cumulative increase in state GDP
• A $17,576,000,000 cumulative increase in earnings by all state residents
• A $14,647,000,000 cumulative increase in earnings of DAPA- and DACA-eligible workers
• An average of 4,800 jobs created annually

LUPE is working locally with the RGV Equal Voice Network and statewide with the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA) to collect letters from businesses throughout the state of Texas.

Texas is known around the country as a place of opportunity and economic success, and immigrant communities contribute much to our state’s reputation. Texas immigrants pursuing the American dream contribute both to the vitality of our economy and to our state’s tax revenues. Yet our state leadership's lawsuit against administrative relief for immigrants makes us look closed and unwelcoming, and leaves businesses without the tools to attract the best job candidates and maintain a stable workforce.

Business leaders know that Texas needs to contribute to a stable business environment by allowing administrative relief for immigrants that permits them to get a driver's license, work and pay taxes, and fully participate in the economy without fear of being deported.

According to analysis by the Center for American Progress, seven counties in the State of Texas represent over 60% of the DAPA and DACA eligible Texans. Hidalgo and Cameron counties are two of the seven counties in the State of Texas that will benefit most from the President’s administrative relief programs.

Help us collect signatures from businesses in support of DACA and DAPA:

• Come to any LUPE office and pick up a copy of the letter. Or download the business letter here, and then print it out.
• Take it to businesses in your and ask for their signature.
• Return it to the LUPE office closest to you before November 17, 2015. We will include it when we deliver them to Governor Abbott on the one year anniversary of the announcement of DAPA and Expanded DACA on November 20.