March 9, 2017

The new immigration order signed by the President goes into effect this Thursday. The order limiting travel from six countries and suspending the refugee program, restricts and destabilizes the workforce. Our business community depends on legal pathways to access the much needed workforce.

To that end, VP Paola Avila joined U.S. Representative Susan Davis in a press conference to reaffirm support for the exchange of people for new ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Our country has a strong tradition of immigrant entrepreneurship. In fact, half of the Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or the child of an immigrant.

In San Diego, immigrants comprise nearly one-third of our work force and immigrant households make up 22 percent of the total household income in San Diego County. That represents a substantial share of spending power.