President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced executive actions that will impact beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and certain other immigrants to the U.S. Specifically, the orders will ease the work visa process for DACA recipients and provide them a path to citizenship.
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce highlighted this issue in its Belong advocacy agenda and in meetings with Wisconsin’s congressional delegation, including both senators, as recently as last month. In response to the Tuesday announcement, Chamber President Zach Brandon released the following statement:
“Our business community has been advocating for years for a streamlined pathway for DACA recipients. For as many years, we have been told by both sides of the aisle the other side would have to give first.
“Red and blue states alike have taken it upon themselves to attempt to solve this critical federal issue, including a bipartisan delegation in the Wisconsin State Assembly. We are facing a talent imperative, and in Wisconsin alone, there are nearly 6,000 DACA recipients ready to help solve it.
“We appreciate President Biden’s leadership on this issue, and we hope this is a step toward congressional action on a permanent solution.”
