SAN DIEGO — Local business and government partners met today at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce to discuss the National Immigration Forum’s New American Workforce, a citizenship service worksite program, and immigrant integration and the resulting economic impact.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer joined the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the National Immigration Forum and leaders from local businesses to provide a briefing on the economic contributions of immigrants to the region and to highlight local immigrant integration efforts. They discussed the opportunity of offering citizenship services at the worksite through New American Workforce, joining over 50 businesses in the area already participating.
The following are quotes from speakers at today’s event:
Mayor Kevin Faulconer, City of San Diego:
“I celebrate all the legal permanent residents of San Diego and applaud those participating in the citizenship process, taking that final step in their American dream. Programs like New American Workforce bolster the business community and our residents and we’re glad to partner on this citizenship day.”
Jerry Sanders, Chief Executive Officer, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce:
“As a network of businesses in the San Diego region, we are glad to partner with a project like New American Workforce that makes worksite citizenship services available to the 204,000 eligible legal permanent residents in our region.”
Paola Avila, VP of International Business Affairs, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce:
“Programs like New American Workforce enable the San Diego employers to create an even more talented and stable workforce, benefiting the entire region.”
Elizabeth Doran, Chief Executive Officer, San Diego Theatres:
“We are excited to participate in this program to help our employees with permanent resident status obtain their citizenship. Our employees are an integral part of our shared San Diego community and we want to help them achieve their goal of becoming U.S. citizens.”
Namara Mercer, Executive Director, San Diego Hotel-Motel Association:
“San Diego County hotels employ nearly 30,000 people and our industry has always found it important to offer benefits that support our employees. Because of this we’re proud of the partnership we’ve created with New American Workforce in San Diego.”
Stephanie Sorn, Property Controller, Hilton for Bartell Hotels:
“Ensuring that our employees are taken care of and happy is important to retention in this industry, and this project helps with that. New American Workforce makes an added benefit to your employees very simple. Their team carries out the whole process.”
Alicia Valadez, Owner, Northgate Gonzalez Markets:
“New American Workforce has been very successful and more and more people are asking how to participate.”
Marina Alcala, Employee Participant, Human Resources Manager, Northgate Gonzalez Markets:
“Participating in New American Workforce allowed me to have security because I didn’t have to keep reapplying for my green card. I’m excited to now have more opportunities for myself and for my family.”
Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum:
“We applaud Mayor Faulconer and the City of San Diego for offering so many opportunities to their immigrant constituents, and we’re proud to partner with them through our New American Workforce program. The city is ensuring that their foreign-born residents have access to resources to gain the opportunities, skills and status needed to reach their fullest potential, while strengthening the greater community. Together, we are encouraging the business community to offer citizenship services to their employees right at the worksite – enabling their final step in their American dream.”