As the state of Texas continues to pursue litigation aimed at ending DACA, some members of the Texas business community are pushing back.
A group of Texas Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, businesses and business associations filed a brief opposing a lawsuit filed earlier this year by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenging DACA’s legality.
The businesses and organization argue that rescinding DACA would have “significant negative consequences” on the state’s business and that Texas would lose over $6 billion in economic activity during the next decade. The brief was filed by Dallas-based Southwest Airlines and three other companies; the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Midland, San Antonio, Brazoria County and the Rio Grande Valley; the Texas Association of Business; and a coalition of mayors from border towns and cities.
Back in May, Texas and six other states filed the lawsuit arguing that the Obama administration’s DACA program is unconstitutional and is asking the government to stop issuing and renewing DACA permits. The Texas Business Association is concerned about economic impact of rescinding the program, association CEO Jeff Moseley said.
“Clearly this workforce that has been trained with public dollars in public schools is working and contributing mightily to the Texas economy, and we’d hate to see them given over to another country and another economy to compete against Texas,” Moseley said.
According to the brief, DREAMers in Texas have created jobs and contribute to the state’s economy as consumers and taxpayers. They will contribute an estimated $244.7 million in taxes to the state in 2018, and their purchases have led to an estimated 5,800 manufacturing jobs, according to the brief.
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