[Press Conference: “DACA's 12th Anniversary”]
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AND WE ARE GOING TO GET STARTED NOW WITH OPENING REMARKS BY EMILIANO VALENCIA, WHO IS THE TEXAS DIRECTOR OF ABIC EMILIANO.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO COMMEMORATE THE 12TH ANNIVERSARY OF DACA.
I'M THE TEXAS DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR AMERICAN BUSINESS IMMIGRATION COALITION OR APEC.
WE ARE, WE ARE A BIPARTISAN COALITION OF OVER 1400 SCHOOLS AND EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FROM FLORIDA TO TEXAS TO ARIZONA, AND OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE COMMON SENSE IMMIGRATION REFORM.
I'M ALSO A DACA RECIPIENT, PROUD RACE OF WHAT HOUSTONIANS CAN ACHIEVE WHEN GIVING AN ACCESS TO WORK AUTHORIZATION.
12 YEARS AGO, THE ADMINISTRATION INTRODUCED DACA AND HELPED, UH, HELP TEXANS LIKE ME TO LEGALLY WORK, HAVE A CAREER, AND ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THANKS TO HONOR THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF DACA RECIPIENTS AND DREAMERS AND THE SPOUSES OF US CITIZENS, THANKS TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF LAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WIN WORK PERMITS FOR THE SPOUSE OF US CITIZENS AND DREAMERS, AND ALLOW THEM TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY, CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECO, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY, AND KEEP THE FAMILIES TOGETHER.
TODAY'S NOT, TODAY'S EVENT IS NOT ONLY A CELEBRATION OF DACA'S IMPACT, BUT ALSO A CALL TO ACTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO CONGRESS TO WORK TOGETHER TO FURTHER EXPAND WORK AUTHORIZATION AND CREATE PATH TO LEGAL STATUS FOR DREAMERS, THE SPOUSE OF US CITIZENS, AND TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT BENEFITED FROM LAST WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENT.
TODAY, WE ARE JOINED BY DISTINCT DISTINGUISHED GROUPS OF LEADERS WHO WILL SHARE COMMITMENTS TO ADVOCATING POLICIES AND SUPPORT ALL HOUSTONIANS TO ADDRESS THE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES AND CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZACH BELINO, CEO OF GALINDO'S COFFEE, AND, AND ALSO A DSA RECIPIENT.
I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR ALL THE STORIES OF DACA RECIPIENTS AND HOW DACA HAS IMPACTED THEIR LIFE, BUT WHAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TODAY IS THE HIGHLIGHT.
UH, WHAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TODAY IS THE IMPACT THAT DACA RECIPIENTS CAN HAVE ON OTHER PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY'RE DACA RECIPIENTS OR NOT.
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO RECEIVE DACA STATUS 10 YEARS AGO.
SINCE THEN, I'VE GRADUATED COLLEGE, SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY AS WELL.
I'VE OPENED UP MULTIPLE BUSINESSES, AND NOW MY COMPANY STAFFS OVER 70 EMPLOYEES, ALL WHO NOW HAVE JOBS CAN PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, CAN LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM BUY HOUSES THERE.
THIS STORY IS THE SAME STORY AS MANY OTHER DACA RECIPIENTS.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT JUST NEED THAT ONE CHANCE, JUST LIKE I GOT WHEN I GOT DACA.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANCE TO KEEP MOVING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE WE ALL MAKE AN IMPACT AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT THEY JUST NEED THAT ONE CHANCE.
NEXT UP IS YOLANDA BATZ, WHO WAS A UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON STUDENT AND A DREAMER, YOLANDA.
MY NAME'S YOLANDA BATZ, A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, MY JOURNEY HAS BEEN SHAPED BY MY IMMIGRATION STATUS, WHICH HAS IMPACTED BOTH MY, UM, CAREER AND LIFE ASPIRATIONS.
UM, I GRADUATED FROM BF TERRY HIGH SCHOOL DESPITE MY UNDOCUMENTED STATUS, AND WHEN I TURNED 15, I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR DACA.
BUT DUE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RULINGS AND A TEXAS FEDERAL JUDGE, I WAS UNABLE TO APPLY.
UM, THIS MEANT THAT MY ACCESS TO FINANCIAL AID AND CERTAIN ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES WERE LIMITED.
FOR EXAMPLE, ALTHOUGH I WAS, UM, ACCEPTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS COLLEGE OF NURSING, I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND, UM, DUE TO INSUFFICIENT FUNDING.
UM, HOWEVER, MY LIFE ASPIRATIONS INCLUDE, UM, BECOMING A NURSE PRACTITIONER AND HELPING OTHERS THROUGH, UM, NURSING.
I WANNA HELP BREAK BARRIERS IN HEALTHCARE ACCESS.
I'D LIKE TO TRAVEL ONE DAY AND I WANNA PROVIDE A STABLE FUTURE FOR MY FAMILY.
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UM, I ALSO WANNA SEE MY FAMILY IN GUATEMALA WHO I HAVEN'T SEEN IN 19 YEARS.AND IF DACA WERE TO REOPEN OR IF I WERE TO OBTAIN A WORK PERMIT, I WOULD, UM, GLADLY DO THAT.
UM, MY UNDOCUMENTED STATUS HAS POSED MANY CHALLENGES.
HOWEVER, UM, I AM A NURSING AND DESPITE, UM, RECENTLY PASSING MY NCLEX, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND A JOB.
METHODIST AND MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL, BOTH DENIED TO SPONSOR WORK VISAS.
AND DURING, UM, NURSING SCHOOL, I FACED A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION FROM CLINICAL SITES.
UM, MY JOB APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY REJECTED AS WELL, EVER.
AND I'VE ALSO PUBLISHED RESEARCH WITH A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
AND IT GOES TO SHOW LIKE WE CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS.
UM, SO YEAH, AND EMPLOYERS CAN HAVE AN EASIER WAY TO SPONSOR WORK VISAS FOR DREAMERS LIKE MYSELF.
BUT I WANNA CONTINUE TO PUSH PRESIDENT BIDEN IN CONGRESS TO WORK TOWARDS A PATH TO LEGALIZATION FOR ALL UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY, YOLANDA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JORGE AVILA, REPRESENTING AMERICAN FAMILIES UNITED, AND HE IS THE SPOUSE OF A US CITIZEN.
I'M A US CITIZEN, MARRIED TO AN IMMIGRANT.
I LIVE IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS RIGHT NOW.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF AMERICAN FAMILIES UNITED.
THE PURPOSE AND PRACTICAL SOLUTION FOR THIS CONGRESS TO AFFECT OVER 1.1 MILLION US CITIZEN MARRIED TO AN IMMIGRANT TODAY, OUR ORGANIZATIONS THANKS PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR EXPANDING WORK AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE SPOUSES OF US CITIZENS.
HOWEVER, I'M HERE TO URGE PRESIDENT BIDEN AND CONGRESS TO EXPAND THE WORK AUTHORIZATION FOR MY WIFE AND ME AND HELP HER BRING HER BACK HOME.
DANIELLE AND I FELL IN LOVE WHILE WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER OVER 15 YEARS AGO.
WE HAVE A DAUGHTER, UM, AFTER WE GOT MARRIED AFTER DATE FOR TWO YEARS, MARRIED FOR 15 YEARS, WE CELEBRATE OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE S PAST APRIL.
AFTER HER INTERVIEW IN TWO THAT JUAREZ, SHE WAS DENIED HER GREEN CARD SUPPOSEDLY FOR FALSE CLAIM, AND THAT STILL HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN TO ME SINCE HER GREEN CARD DENIAL.
SHE'S BEEN LIVING IN
SHE HAD, THEY HAD A ONE BEDROOM STUDIO.
BASICALLY, WE ADDED TWO ADDITION BEDROOMS TO THEIR HOUSE SO THEY COULD LIVE MORE COMFORTABLE DUE TO SOME OF THE CARTEL IN MY WORK SCHEDULE, I CAN ONLY VISIT HER TWICE A YEAR, HER BIRTHDAY, AND CHRISTMAS.
THIS HAS PUT A TREMENDOUS MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL FINANCIAL CHALLENGE TOWARDS ME AND MY WIFE.
AND MANY TIMES WE HAVE CONTEMPLATED JUST DIVORCING JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER.
OUR DAUGHTER MISSES HER MOTHER TERRIBLY IN MANAGING WORK AND PARENTING AND HOUSEHOLD DUTIES ALONE HAS BEEN VERY STRESSFUL.
THE SEPARATION HAS EVEN MADE US CONTEMPLATE AGAIN, THE DIVORCE.
IF WE UNITED THROUGH WORK PERMIT, WE SHOULD START REBUILDING OUR SAVINGS AND BUILDING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
PURSUE A DREAM OF ONE DAY STARTING A COMPANY.
THIS WILL PROVIDE US STABILITY AND A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OURSELVES.
I URGE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S AND LAWMAKERS TO EXPAND WORK AUTHORIZATIONS FOR US CITIZEN SPOUSES LIKE MY WIFE, DANIELLA, PRESIDENT BIDEN PROMISE NOT TO SEPARATE FAMILIES YET WE ARE HERE TO SEPARATE THE STILL.
PRESIDENT BIDEN, PLEASE ALLOW MY WIFE AND MANY FAMILIES LIKE MINE TO LIVE TOGETHER IN THE COUNTRY.
WE KNOW AND WE CALL HOME THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
UM, IT'S MY PLEASURE NOW TO INTRODUCE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
THANK YOU, LINDA, AND WELCOME TO CITY HALL.
TO SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS AND, UH, SUPPORTERS OF DREAMERS.
UH, IT'S SO REWARDING TO SHARE THIS OCCASION WITH CIVIC BUSINESS INDIVIDUALS CHANGE, UH, PARTICIPANTS IN THE DREAM ACT, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS SPECIAL
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AND, UH, THE PROGRAM ONLY ALLOWS ME THREE MINUTES.I NEED MORE 10 MINUTES TO ACKNOWLEDGE PUBLICLY MY EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, DREAMERS IN MY SENATE OFFICE AND IN MY, UH, REGULAR ACTIVITIES.
I'D LIKE TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE ROSENTHAL, ANNA HERNANDEZ, CHRISTINE MORALES FOR FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE DREAM ACT IN AUSTIN, WHICH WE PASSED LOCAL STATE REP RICK NORIEGA PASSED IN 2001.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROTECT IT.
IT MEANS SO MUCH TO HAVE IN-STATE TUITION FOR UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH THAT WERE BROUGHT HERE MOSTLY WHEN THEY WERE BABIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE.
ANNA HERNANDEZ GAVE PROBABLY THE MOST MOVING STORY AND SPEECH IN THE TEXAS HOUSE THAT I'VE HEARD WHEN SHE GOT UP AND TALKED TO HER COLLEAGUES THAT WERE ATTACKING THE DREAM ACT, THAT THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, THAT SHE HAD GROWN UP IN AN UNDOCUMENTED FAMILY AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO KNOW THAT HER PARENTS COULD NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME THAT ONE HAD TO REMAIN THERE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THAT WOULD BE LIKE FOR MOST HOUSTONIANS? BUT IT'S REAL.
AND I AM SO EXCITED TO PUBLICLY INTRODUCE A DREAMER THAT CAME TO AUSTIN, WAS ASSIGNED TO SENATOR WHIT MYER'S OFFICE AS AN INTERN, AND NOT ONLY WAS AN OUTSTANDING INTERN, GRADUATED AND THEN LITERALLY FOUGHT HER WAY TO GET INTO LAW SCHOOL AND IS AN OUTSTANDING IMMIGRATION LAWYER.
MARIA, WHY DON'T YOU STAND UP AND LET ME THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY SENATE OFFICE BETTER.
MARIA IVANEZ IS AN OUTSTANDING IMMIGRATION LAWYER NOW HELPING OTHERS.
STARTED AS AN INTERN IN MY SENATE OFFICE AND DID MY DARNEDEST TO GET HER IN LAW SCHOOL.
JUST COULDN'T GET OVER THE HURDLE.
I THINK SHE WOULDN'T LEAVE SOUTH TEXAS UNTIL THEY LET HER IN.
AND THAT'S THE TALENT, THE INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY OF OUR DREAMERS UNDOCUMENTED.
I WILL CLOSE BY THINKING EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
THIS IS THE DAY OF CELEBRATION, BUT IT'S ALSO A DAY OF CHALLENGE.
WE'VE COME SO FAR, CERTAINLY THE DACA, THE DREAM ACT, BUT WE HAVE SO FAR TO GO.
SO LET'S ALL REDEDICATE OURSELF TO THAT POPULATION THAT IS MAKING HOUSTON THE GREAT CITY.
IT IS THIS NATION, THIS STATE BENEFITS FROM THIS TALENT POOL.
UH, WE, WE'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESS LEADERS THAT WE, WE NEED ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
WE NEED TALENTED INTELLECTUAL FOLKS THAT CAN BRING THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES TO HELP OTHERS.
YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME A BETTER SENATOR.
BETTER SENATOR, A BETTER, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME A BETTER MAYOR FOR BRINGING THIS ALL TOGETHER, LINDA, AND CERTAINLY THE SPONSORS OF THIS OCCASION.
AS, AS THE MAYOR SAID, UM, HOUSTON'S VERY BLESSED TO HAVE SO MANY IN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE REALLY RALLIED AROUND AND BEHIND THIS ISSUE.
WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM A FEW OF THEM RIGHT NOW.
STAN MERRICK IS THE CEO OF MERRICK, BROTHERS OF COMPANIES, CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
AND STAN HAS BEEN A TIRELESS ADVOCATE.
THAT'S WHO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UM, SO PLEASE WELCOME STAN MERRICK TO THE PODIUM.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU, LINDA.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, DREAMERS, ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE, MY COMPANY BUILDS EVERYTHING.
YOU SEE, FLOOR CEILINGS, DRYWALL, PAINT, EVERYTHING.
AND WE HAVE THE BIGGEST LABOR SHORTAGE I'VE SEEN IN MY 60 YEARS OF BEING IN THE INDUSTRY.
NEVER HAVE I HAD A NEED FOR PEOPLE.
WE'RE WORKING AT THE AIRPORT, BLAME US FOR THE TRAFFIC.
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE WORKING AT MD ANDERSON, WORKING AT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, WORKING AT, UH, ALL OVER TOWN, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE 750,000 UNDOCUMENTED JUST IN HOUSTON.
WE HAVE A TON OF KIDS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE DREAMERS.
IF THEY WOULD REOPEN THE ACT, WE COULD SOLVE THE LABOR SHORTAGE WITH THE DREAMERS.
AND IF WE, WE GAVE WHAT I CALL AN ID AND TAX PROGRAM ID AND TAX IS AN ADULT DACA.
ALL WE NEED TO DO IS SAY, MERRICK.
YOU CAN GO OUT AND HIRE ANYBODY WHO CAN PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK AND WORK FOR YOU AS AN EMPLOYEE WHO PAYS AND MATCHES TAXES, WE'LL GIVE 'EM A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
WE'LL LET 'EM WORK, GIVE 'EM A TWO OR THREE YEAR, UH, TERM, AND THEY CAN RENEW IT IN TWO OR THREE YEARS AND MAYBE ONE DAY A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP.
IT'S A NO BRAINER ID AND TAX ARE COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS.
WE COULD HIRE LITERALLY, I, I COULD HIRE 150 PEOPLE TOMORROW IF THEY HAD LEGAL STATUS AND THEY'RE ALL WORKING.
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SHOULD GO SEE 'EM ON EVERY JOB IN HOUSTON, BUT THEY CAN'T WORK FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE PAPERS.PLEASE SUPPORT DACA AND SUPPORT ID AND TAX.
ANOTHER GREAT BUSINESS LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO'S BEEN DOING AN AWFUL LOT, UH, TO, TO WORK ON THIS ISSUE IS THE CEO OF AMEE BANK.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, AND, AND THANKS LINDA.
SO INTERESTINGLY, UH, STAN AND JOHN AND MYSELF HAVE BEEN TRYING TO HELP THE ECONOMY FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS, STARTING IN THE, IN THE, IN THE HEIGHTS AREA.
AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN REALLY ANY SOCIETY IS AN UNDERLYING HEALTHY ECONOMY TO CREATE JOBS THAT SOLVES A LOT OF PROBLEMS. AND TODAY, MORE THAN ANY OF THE TIME IN MY ALMOST 50 CAREER IS EVERY EMPLOYER TO STAND'S COMMENT SAYS, I NEED A, I NEED A GROWING WORKFORCE QUALIFIED AND AVAILABLE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A UNIVERSAL DEMAND, CERTAINLY IN TEXAS.
BUT HERE'S THE OTHER, THERE'S A SECOND POINT AND SECOND REALITY, UH, TRYING TO CREATE JOBS WHILE SECURING THE BORDER.
THEY'RE WHAT THEY CALL OPPOSING TRUTHS.
THEY'RE IN CONTRADICTION TO EACH OTHER AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO BALANCE THAT REQUIRES KIND OF PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS.
AND THAT'S THE THIRD POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS DACA IS THE EPITOME OF A PRAGMATIC SOLUTION BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT EDUCATED, DRIVEN YOUTH WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION.
WE'VE SEEN, STAN AND I HAVE BEEN AT A LOT OF VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS AND OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU'VE GOT QUALIFIED YOUTH, AND THE ONLY THING THAT STOPS 'EM AT THE VERY END IS THEY'RE NOT DOCUMENTED AND THEY CAN'T GET A GOOD JOB.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT PRAGMATIC, THAT'S NOT SMART.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO KEEP PUSHING GOOD PMA PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS FOR WHAT IS REALLY KIND OF A DIFFICULT TOPIC.
PERHAPS NO ONE HAS HER PULSE, HER FINGER ON THE PULSE MORE OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS ISSUE THAN OUR NEXT SPEAKER, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
LAURA MORILLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I'VE ASKED YOLANDA TO PLEASE JOIN ME BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO HAVE A FACE TO THIS ISSUE.
SHE'S GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY, SHE'S KNOCKED ON DOORS, AND SHE'S STILL, DESPITE THE BIG NEED THAT WE HAVE IN HEALTHCARE, THIS YOUNG WOMAN IS BILINGUAL.
SHE'S EDUCATED, SHE'S DRIVEN, SHE'S COME VERY FAR WITH VERY LITTLE SUPPORT FROM CONGRESS THAT COULD ABSOLUTELY CHANGE HER TRAJECTORY IN THAT OF THOUSANDS OF OTHERS IN THIS PARTICULAR CITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE REMEMBER THIS SPACE AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND NOW PLEASE WELCOME THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM.
JOHN MARTINEZ, JOE, EXCUSE ME.
I AM JOBY MARTINEZ, CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER FOR THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS CRUCIAL IMPACT, I'M SORRY, A CRUCIAL ISSUE THAT IMPACTS OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, OUR NATION'S WORKFORCE, I APPLAUD PRESIDENT BIDEN'S RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER TO EXPAND WORK PERMITS FOR DREAMER, DREAMERS, AND SPOUSES OF US CITIZENS.
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER BY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO EXPAND WORK PERMITS ALLOWS AN ESTIMATED 3 MILLION PEOPLE NATIONALLY TO WORK LEGALLY WHILE PURSUING A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP.
IT IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD, AND AS YOU'VE HEARD PREVIOUS SPEAKERS TALK ABOUT THE SHORTAGES IN OUR WORKFORCE.
THE HEALTH WORKFORCE IS NOT, IS NOT, NOT IMMUNE TO THIS AS WELL.
UH, WE CURRENTLY FACE SIGNIFICANT LABOR SHORTAGES WITH 8.7 MILLION JOB OPENINGS, BUT ONLY 6.4 MILLION UNEMPLOYED WORKERS.
THIS DISPARITY LEAVES NEARLY 2.5, 2.4 MILLION POSITIONS UNFILLED IF EVERY UNEMPLOYED PERSON FOUND A JOB.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE ALSO AFFECTED HERE IN TEXAS WITH EMPLOYERS, AS YOU'VE JUST HEARD IN KEY INDUSTRIES, STRUGGLING TO FIND THE WORKFORCE THEY NEED.
THE ISSUE IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL FOR THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE SECTOR WHERE LABOR SHORTAGES CAN DIRECTLY PATIENT CARE AND PA AND PUBLIC HEALTH ACCESS TO WORK AUTHORIZATION AND A PATH TO LEGAL STATUS FOR DREAMERS ARE CRITICAL TO ADDRESSING OUR SHORTAGES, MAINTAINING HOUSTON'S COMPETITIVENESS AND KEEPING HOUSTON
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FAMILIES TOGETHER.I URGE LAWMAKERS IN CONGRESS TO ADVANCE THIS MUCH NEEDED POLICY TO HELP OUR HOUSTON AREA RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING ASIDE ALL ALONGSIDE ALL OF YOU, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR DACA AND DREAMERS.
REPRESENTING NOW ANOTHER ASPECT OF OUR HEALTH SYSTEM FROM THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT PARAMEDIC, JESUS CONTR.
I'M A PARAMEDIC AND A DACA RECIPIENT.
I WAS BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES AS A VERY YOUNG KID, AND UNLIKE MANY OTHER DACA RECIPIENTS AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE NATION, MY STORY IS ONE OF, UM, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, RIGHT? I GREW UP IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND AT THE VERY YOUNG AGE OF 18, I REALIZED THAT MY UNDOCUMENTED STATUS WOULD PREVENT ME FROM BECOMING AN EMT.
REGARDLESS OF THAT, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PASSED THE BACKUP PROGRAM THAT THEN LET ME PURSUE MY EMT BASIC CERTIFICATION AND THEN MY PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION.
SINCE BECOMING A PARAMEDIC, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP HOUSTONIANS WITH THINGS SUCH AS THE, THE HARVEY RESCUE EFFORTS, THE FREEZE THAT WE HAD.
AND ANYTIME SOMEBODY CALLS 9 1 1, I'M THERE, THERE ARE MANY OTHER DACA RECIPIENTS WHO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE, LIKE THESE AND WHO WILL WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERMANENTLY STAY IN THIS NATION.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE PRESIDENT FOR RECENTLY PASSING, UH, THIS RULE THAT WOULD HELP A LOT OF DACA RECIPIENTS AND DREAMER ELIGIBLE, UH, RECIPIENTS.
WHAT I ASK IS FOR PERMANENT LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS TO HELP THOSE OF US THAT ARE UNDER THE DACA PROGRAM AND THOSE OF US THAT ARE UNDOCUMENTED, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR TEXANS.
THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERYBODY AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT IF WE CAN HAVE MORE DACA RECIPIENTS OR MORE IMMIGRANTS THAT ARE GIVEN THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, THE SKY IS THE LIMIT.
WE COULD HAVE MORE PARAMEDICS, WE COULD HAVE MORE DOCTORS, MORE NURSES, MORE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIETY.
IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY US, YOU CAN LIVE SAFELY.
IF YOU CAN GIVE US A WORK PERMIT, A DRIVER'S LICENSE, AND SOMETHING TO LIVE AND LOOK UP TO, YOU CAN SEE US FLOURISH.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM A LONG TIME TEJANO, RIGHT? I'VE BEEN HERE OVER 24 YEARS.
I'VE GIVEN MY LIFE TO THIS COUNTRY.
I AM NO LONGER A KID LIKE WE USED TO DESCRIBE US DACA RECIPIENTS.
I AM AN, I'M NOW A 30-YEAR-OLD MAN WITH A WIFE WHO DEPENDS ON ME WITH A FAMILY THAT DEPENDS ON ME.
PLEASE GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK.
MY ASK IS FOR CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO PASS PERMANENT LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
LIKE I SAID, THIS IS NOT ONLY FOR US DACA RECIPIENTS, THIS IS FOR TEXANS, THIS IS FOR US CITIZENS.
LET'S MAKE SOME COMMON SENSE LAWS HAPPEN.
HEY, SE YOU WRAPPED THAT UP BEAUTIFULLY FOR US.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY DIFFICULT, NUANCED, COMPLEX ISSUE.
AND HOPEFULLY BY LISTENING TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE ON, ON THE STAGE TALKING ABOUT THE VERY, AT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THIS ISSUE, IT'S GIVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE BREADTH AND UNDERSTANDING TO THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSING PERMANENT LEGISLATION.
AS WE WRAP UP NOW, I'D LIKE TO INVITE ANNA CARPENTER TO COME UP AND TRANSLATE INTO SPANISH.
ANNA IS THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF COMMUNICATIONS, AMERICAN BUSINESS IMMIGRATION COALITION FOR MARIA WHI
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STUDIOS DREAMERS.THANK YOU, ANNA, AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING US TODAY.