Best Buy Chairman and CEO Hubert Joly signed on to a letter Friday with hundreds of business leaders calling to preserve the program that keeps undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as youth from being deported. The letter also urges legislation for a permanent solution.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program allows 800,000 undocumented young adults and youth, known as “Dreamers,” to study and work in the United States.
“I join with business leaders from across the country in calling for the President and Congress to act in support of DACA and pass legislation that would offer a permanent answer to this important issue. There are hundreds of thousands of young men and women whose futures are at stake,” Joly said.
More than 350 entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the country signed the letter, which was addressed to President Trump, U.S. Reps. Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi, and U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell and Charles Schumer.
“All DACA recipients grew up in America, registered with our government, submitted to extensive background checks, and are diligently giving back to our communities and paying income taxes. More than 97 percent are in school or in the workforce, 5 percent started their own business, 65 percent have purchased a vehicle, and 16 percent have purchased their first home,” according to the letter.