Dear Community Members, Policymakers, and Business Leaders,
I am writing on behalf of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to sound the alarm on a crisis that threatens the economic foundation of our country: the deportation of business owners. Removing entrepreneurs who have built businesses, created jobs, and sustained local economies is not just an injustice—it is an economic disaster with lasting consequences.
Imagine a small, family-owned construction company employing 15 workers. The owner, an immigrant entrepreneur, has spent years building relationships with suppliers, subcontractors, and clients. The sudden deportation of this business owner would lead to immediate disruption. Employees lose their jobs, suppliers lose a customer, subcontractors miss project opportunities, and clients are left scrambling for new service providers.
Beyond direct employees, the impact ripples outward. The local café where workers eat breakfast sees fewer customers. The equipment rental company loses a long-standing client. The tax revenue generated by the business disappears, straining local government resources. In short, the deportation of one entrepreneur triggers a downward economic spiral, affecting multiple industries and households.
Now, multiply this effect across thousands of Hispanic-owned businesses in Illinois alone. These businesses generate $17 billion in annual revenue, and their forced closures create widespread supply chain disruptions. Construction, logistics, retail, and other industries face an increased cost of doing business due to lost partnerships and fewer service providers.
Consider the logistics sector: Hispanic-owned trucking companies transport essential goods nationwide. Deporting business owners forces closures, leading to fewer available trucks, shipment delays, and increased costs for companies and consumers alike. This disruption, when repeated across various industries, results in higher prices, job losses, and decreased competitiveness in the market.
Beyond economics, these businesses are lifelines for communities. When one business owner is deported, an entire neighborhood feels the strain. Local youth programs lose sponsors, community events lose funding, and charities lose key supporters. Families of deported business owners face financial ruin, increasing their reliance on social services and placing additional burdens on local governments.
We cannot afford to stand by while thriving businesses are dismantled, jobs disappear, and communities are torn apart. Deporting business owners is a reckless policy that erodes economic stability and destroys lives.
The IHCC demands policy changes that allow hardworking entrepreneurs to remain in their communities and continue driving economic success. We must push for pathways to legal residency, business sustainability programs, and protections that prevent the senseless destruction of businesses.
This is not just an immigration issue—it is an economic survival issue. We urge every policymaker, business leader, and community advocate to take action before it is too late.
The economic and social fabric of our communities is at stake. We must act now.
Sincerely,
Jaime di Paulo
President & CEO
Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
