A group of more than 100 large multinational corporations are urging the Senate leaders Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to adopt the so-called “Dreamers Act” that would grant amnesty and citizenship to as many as 4.4 million immigrants who entered the United States illegally as children.
The “Coalition for the American Dream” includes companies and brands such as IBM, Amazon, General Motors and industry associations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation and the National Association of Manufacturers.
They urged adoption of the House bill, which passed the lower chamber with unanimous Democratic support yet only nine Republicans.
“If passed, this bill would give (the immigrants) the long-overdue opportunity to apply for lawful permanent resident status and eventually citizenship if they continue to meet certain requirements,” the March 3 letter states.
Republicans have decried the bill, saying its policies such as the bill known as H.R. 6 has encouraged illegal immigration – especially from Mexico and Central America – and caused the current crisis on the southern border.
Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, told Newsmax TV last week that the measure is serving as an invitation, and ridiculed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas who has defended the policies.
“It’s again, a welcome mat, ‘Come on in, we’re ready for business,’” McCaul said. “And that’s a message, when I questioned (Mayorkas), he knows better. He’s been a federal prosecutor in a border state. It was so irresponsible to send that kind of message.
“Deterrents is important here. In the Trump administration, there was deterrents. We didn’t have this problem. But within two months, they’ve absolutely reversed this policy. I’ve talked to (former Secretary of Homeland Security) Kirstjen Nielsen. She negotiated a lot of these agreement with Mexico and Central America. And it was working. They were applying for political asylum in Mexico, not in the United States. We have catch and release back, once again, and once they’re released, as you know, they’re given a notice to appear, and then they disappear.”