Immigration: Small businesses want reform bill
Originally published in the Springfield News-Leader
It’s disappointing the U.S. House of Representatives has yet to move forward on the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill.
Small businesses have voiced their strong support for immigration reform because they believe it will be good for our country and for small businesses, while providing major economic benefits. The failure to address this issue doesn’t do our primary job creators or our still-struggling economy any favors.
Small Business Majority’s opinion polling found entrepreneurs believe our immigration system is broken and see reform as a crucial part of small business and overall economic success.
What’s more, they support many of the elements of the Senate-passed reform bill and believe creating a path to earned citizenship is the most appropriate solution for handling our country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Small businesses need smart policies that strengthen our economy and give them what they need to compete.
Fixing our immigration system will strengthen the workforce and infuse the economy with additional tax dollars, increasing consumer demand and bolstering small businesses’ bottom lines.
The time to act on smart, comprehensive immigration reform is now.
Mary Timmel is Missouri outreach manager for Small Business Majority.