Steve Clark: ‘Immigration Reform Is About The Economy’

Editor’s note: Steve Clark, the author of this guest commentary, is the President & CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. He is a lawyer, a mediator, a former law professor and the former Arkansas Attorney General.

As a product of the 60’s, I learned what power there is in showing up to make one’s voice heard. Public policy changed because every day citizens showed up and spoke up.

Last week, a comprehensive immigration reform bill, S.744, was presented to the Senate bringing us one step closer to fixing a broken system of immigration that is stifling our economy.

This legislation is important to the business community because it gives law enforcement the tools to handle dangerous individuals that have benefitted from the lack of certainty in our nation’s immigration policies.

This bill means upgraded border security and safer border communities.

This legislation is likewise important because it addresses the issue of and upgraded an expanded visa program for all level of workers with a workable employment verification system.

This bill will improve U.S. competitiveness in a global economy, support efforts to attract and retain the best talent and workers available for our companies and it keeps faith with America’s legacy as an open and welcoming society.

I believe it is time to march and be heard again. Only this time it can be done electronically.

Last month, the March for Innovation was launched. It was the largest ever virtual march on Washington. More than 45 million people on Twitter and Facebook raised their voices. Ten of thousands of people from different cultural and political backgrounds called on Congress to tell them to act and act now reforming immigration.

Now it is Arkansas’ turn.

Go to www.MarchForInnovation.com where you can tell Arkansas’ congressional delegation using Twitter, Facebook, or several other online tools that the time for comprehensive immigration reform is now.

In the 1992 presidential election, Arkansas told the Congress and all in the country who would listen that Arkansas believed governing was about “the economy.” Immigration reform is about the economy.

March again today. Tell our congressional delegation that immigration reform is essential to grow our country. Raise your voice to be heard and say, Congress needs to act now.