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The Texas Opportunity Coalition believes that with the right federal congressional solution, Dreamers will continue to play a key role in our state’s economy, and our nation’s future. We also believe that allowing Dreamers to stay and continue contributing to the society that invested in them is not just the smart thing to do; it’s the right thing to do.
Read on to learn about the principles that inform our efforts to move Congress to act on this issue. Then visit our contact page to learn how you can support TOC. OUR POLICY PRINCIPLES |
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There are five key principles that we as a coalition feel must be addressed within any legislative solution. They are:
- Dreamers are a net benefit to Texas’s economy. Texas Dreamers contribute about $413 million in state and local taxes on top of the $440 million they pay in federal taxes. Their purchasing power injects $2.9 billion annually in our economy. Our policies should recognize Dreamers’ economic contributions and our laws should provide them with an opportunity to legally work, start businesses, and continue paying taxes in Texas.
- Texas businesses should be able to recruit and retain this talented workforce. Over 93% of Dreamers in Texas are employed, and many have received degrees and certificates from our higher education institutions. Our policies should recognize the importance of expanding the state’s workforce and allow businesses and employers to keep tapping into this talented pool of workers.
- Dreamers help fill special workforce needs critical to Texas’s future. Thousands of Texas Dreamers work in the fields of healthcare, high-tech, manufacturing, hospitality, and construction. They have also helped keep our economy running as frontline workers during the COVID pandemic. Our policies should ensure these industries continue to grow and flourish by allowing them to continue to employ Dreamers.
- Punishing Dreamers and their families goes against our values. Tens of thousands of Dreamers grew up in Texas, graduated from our schools, and are now homeowners and vital members of their local communities. Rather than punishing and uprooting Dreamers and their families, our policies should recognize how integral they are to Texas.
- Our immigration system should align with our economic needs. Recent changes to our immigration system have made it increasingly difficult for individuals to adjust their immigration status and for employers to sponsor individuals to work in Texas. Our policies should recognize that Texas’s economy relies on immigrant workers, and our immigration system should not prohibit them from being able to work and stay in our nation.
LEARN MORESee who has signed onto our Policy Principles and joined the Texas Opportunity Coalition. If you’re interested in endorsing these principles, please contact Juan Carlos Cerda, Texas Business Immigration Coalition, at jccerda@americanbic.biz or Justin Yancy, Texas Business Leadership Council, at yancy@txblc.org.
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GET THE FACTSSee how Dreamers are contributing billions of dollars to the Texas economy and what Texas stands to lose if we don’t create a path to legalization.
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