Business, Labor, and Civic Leaders Agree: ICE Raids Are Hurting California
CA4US stands united in a vision for a humane and streamlined immigration system that upholds human dignity, strengthens communities, protects our economy and businesses, and recognizes that immigrants are vital to our shared prosperity.
Key industries depend on immigrant workers: if mass deportation occurs, the construction industry could shrink by 16%, agriculture by 14%, and millions of small businesses risk closing. Already, raids have caused a 3.1% drop in private sector jobs, vital crops have gone unharvested as farms lose up to 70% of workers, and small businesses have struggled as storefronts in some communities have seen sales down as much as 75%.
On October 1, Washington began spending $76.5B on enforcement – a tenfold budget increase – and hiring 10,000 new ICE agents for mass raids. On September 9, the Supreme Court lifted restrictions on racial profiling temporarily, allowing federal agents to target people based on race, ethnicity, or language. The decision increases the risk a dramatically expanded ICE force will conduct enforcement in ways that sow fear and instability, further damaging families, communities, and our economy.
Unless our national approach to immigration changes, the result will be more jobs lost, businesses struggling, families torn apart, civil and human rights eroded, neighborhoods and shopping districts under siege, and millions of Californians living in fear. Deportations could cost California $278B in economic activity and erase $23.5B in annual tax contributions, and the impact on our economy, society, and democracy will be devastating.
We stand with seven in ten California voters who disapprove of the way immigration enforcement is being carried out in the Golden State, and we stand together to call for humane immigration and enforcement policy that provides a pathway to citizenship, upholds civil and human rights, and reflects the vital contributions of immigrants and their families to the economic, social, and cultural health of our regions, state, and nation.
Maria Salinas, LA Area Chamber
Mary Leslie, LA Business Council
Nella McOsker, Central City Association of Los Angeles
Martin Muoto, SOLA Impact
Eddie Navarrette, Independent Hospitality Coalition
Matthew Mena, Inland Economic Growth & Opportunity
Bianca Blomquist, Small Business Majority
Allison Alt, Business for Good
Malcolm Johnson, Langdon Park Capital
Karim Webb, Webb Investments
Janet Murguía, UnidosUS
German Cash, Hispanic Federation
Jim Mangia, St. John's Community Health
Alysia Bell, UNITE-LA
David Huerta, SEIU USWW
Luis Sandoval, Building Skills Partnership
Ernesto Medrano, Los Angeles–Orange Counties Building & Construction Trades Council
Yvonne Wheeler, LA County Federation of Labor
Christine Essel, Dwayne S. Marsh, and Megan Thomas, Philanthropy California
Chet Hewitt, The Center at Sierra Health Foundation
Eder Gaona-Macedo, Fund for Santa Barbara
Julian Castro, Latino Community Foundation
Joanna Jackson, Weingart Foundation
R. Michelle Decker, Inland Empire Community Foundation
Richard Tate, California Wellness Foundation
Miguel Santana, California Community Foundation
