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Julio Fuentes| Palm Beach Post

Its been over four months since the House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act (ADPA) and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA). Passed with bipartisan support, the FWMA and the ADPAs companion bill, the Dream Act, now await action in the Senate leaving many hard-working undocumented immigrants without certainty and damaging the American economy in the process.

Together, these critical pieces of legislation would provide an earned pathway to citizenship for qualified Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients, DACA-eligible individuals, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and undocumented immigrants in agriculture. At a time where our economy is battling a labor shortage and recovering from a devastating pandemic, we need these workers now more than ever. Here in Florida,over 50%of our undocumented population have been fighting on the frontlines of the pandemic as essential workers andover 50%of Floridas jobs in farming are held by undocumented immigrants.

The passage of a pathway to earned citizenship is an investment in Americas workforce and in our economy. With legal certainty, those who are currently undocumented population can continue to meet the needs of our essential industries and continue their incredible contributions. In fact, should these bills become law, Florida would gain over$800 million in state and local tax revenueand add over$12.2 billion in new economic contributionsto our states economy.

Recently, a U.S. District Court ruled that all new DACA applications will be frozen, barring tens of thousands of young immigrants from getting work authorizations and protection from deportation. This ruling highlights the need for Congress to pass a permanent legislative solution that addresses the uncertainty Dreamers have been forced to live with for years and ensures that immigrants in our country can be productive members of our workforce.

Its time for Florida Sens.Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to put partisanship aside and act in the best interest of Floridians by passing immigration reform now.

Fuentes is founder & CEO of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Original post:
Point of View: Immigration reform will boost Floridas workforce, economy - Palm Beach Post