The Quiet Midwest Movement for Inclusion
In America’s heartland, “there is this quiet movement of folks who have come to the conclusion that immigrants can be a real catalyst for…the revitalization of cities and a competitive advantage,” said Welcoming Economies Global Network Co-Chair Steve Tobocman in a recent briefing with Business Forward’s national business leader network. “When regional economic development plans…
Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado on Opportunities for Reform
Business Forward hosted Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado yesterday for a briefing with our national network of entrepreneurs, investors, senior executives, and small business owners. Senator Bennet, who previously served as the superintendent of Denver schools, discussed education reform, immigration, and other issues facing the Senate. Below are some of the key takeaways from the…
Roche: As Washington Fights about Budgets, Immigration Opportunity for Common Ground
As Congress and the White House look for ways to pass a new budget and avoid yet another government shutdown, leaders in both parties are searching for common ground. They should start with providing permanent protection for Dreamers and finish by modernizing our antiquated immigration rules. Late last year, I was proud to join more…
An update on our work
It’s been a year since President Trump’s election, and I have been reflecting on what has changed and how we at Business Forward have adapted. I’d like to take this opportunity to update you on our work. First, business leader engagement is up. For eight years, our mission has been to “help local business leaders fix…
Hundreds of Business Leaders Urge Trump to Protect Dreamers
Hundreds of executives from across the country are calling on President Trump to leave the Deferred Action for Childhood Action (DACA) program in place.The President is considering ending the program, which protects nearly 800,000 Dreamers from deportation.By registering with the federal government, these individuals, who are undocumented and were brought here as children, are able…
How might immigration reform affect the economy? These Texas business leaders weigh in.
With the announcement of new border security measures, some business leaders see a window for movement on more comprehensive changes to the nation’s immigration laws. More than 40 small business owners, executives, investors, and entrepreneurs from Texas shared their views about immigration reform with Business Forward. Many share their difficulties verifying potential employees’ eligibility to…
Bipartisan Businesses Leaders Urge Congress to Break Immigration Impasse
Three of America’s most influential business leaders, Sheldon Adelson, Warren Buffett, and Bill Gates may disagree on politics, but they do agree on one thing: immigration reform is vital for the growth and competitiveness of the U.S. economy. The three businessmen argue in the New York Times that Congress must pass immigration legislation that advances America’s…
New Report Takes a Deeper Look Into Immigration Reform’s Potential Impact on Manufacturing & Housing
While Congress debates immigration reform, new findings are being released supporting the idea that American businesses would profit from the passage of comprehensive immigration reform. On Tuesday, September 10th, the Partnership for a New American Economy, in collaboration with Americas Society/Council of the America (AS/COA), released a new report called “Immigration and the Revival of…
Immigration reform will allow companies like Alexander Torrenegra’s to “lead in the global economy”
I started my first company at age 14 in Bogota, Colombia. Five years later, my family immigrated to the U.S. and I built a small 20-person company with my first partner, a Cuban-American entrepreneur I met while in college. Our small, bootstrapped operation was not big enough to sponsor me for a visa. Despite creating…
Immigration Reform: “A Matter Of Economic Competitiveness”
As a Nevada small business owner, I have watched as our immigration system has shackled our economic competitiveness. How Congress acts in the coming weeks will determine whether we continue with a broken system or we devise a new way of doing things that gives American businesses and workers a crucial boost in a challenging…