CEO.CA Chairman's Briefing

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - The following statement is from Javier Palomarez, President & CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and National Diversity Coalition Advisor for the Trump Administration:

"Almost five years ago, President Obama set forth on a course to alleviate the challenges faced by children of undocumented immigrants by way of an executive order. This order, known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), would become a symbol of executive overreach and would contribute to the growing polarization of a divided electorate.

"This Band-Aid approach has proven to serve as just that: A temporary fix that failed to offer a comprehensive approach to fixing our broken immigration system. At the USHCC, we see immigration reform as an economic imperative for the continued well-being of our nation. We remain hopeful that the Trump Administration will work with Congress for meaningful reform.

"We are encouraged, however, by President Trump's commitment to approach DACA with compassion and pragmatism. This gesture is one that our association welcomes, and is one for which we have been actively advocating in ongoing discussions with the Administration. This is particularly encouraging, after the actions of the Obama administration, which deported nearly 3 million immigrants -- more than the previous 43 presidents combined.

"President Trump's executive order titled 'Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements,' aims at adding clarity to a confusing immigration policy he inherited. We hope this is the beginning of a full faith effort to solve our broken immigration system. The fact remains that executive orders alone can't solve our nation's most critical problems. It is now up to Congress to meet him halfway and enact meaningful legislation that will solve this problem once and for all. Our nation yearns for unity, solving the undocumented immigration crisis would go a long way in healing the divisions in our country."

About the USHCC

The USHCC actively promotes the economic growth, development and interests of more than 4.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses that, combined, contribute over $668 billion to the American economy every year. It also advocates on behalf of 260 major American corporations and serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local chambers and business associations nationwide. For more information, visit ushcc.com. Follow the USHCC on Twitter @USHCC.