Press release from the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce:
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce has released the following statement calling for an end to zero-tolerance policy in regards to immigration:
As a chamber, we understand that immigration is key to our country’s ability to thrive and compete in the global economy. We have spoken out on the need to fix our broken immigration system, protect Dreamers, and leverage the economic asset that immigrants bring to the Asheville region, the state of North Carolina, and our country as a whole.
We are a nation of laws, and a nation that understands the importance of securing our border. But we are not a nation that forcibly removes children from parents who have traveled to this country to seek a better life, many of whom are fleeing violence and insecurity in search of asylum.
This zero-tolerance policy is not what we represent, and we are calling for it to end immediately. Immigrants in North Carolina paid $5.8 billion in taxes and hold $17 billion in spending power in 2016. They are business owners, engineers, and agricultural workers. They drive our local economy and make our community stronger and more vibrant.
The administration and the justice department should end this policy that goes against everything our country stands for as a beacon of hope and opportunity.
Thank you…it is possible to govern with heart. Not for the current administration, obviously, but hopefully that will end sooner than later.