Coalition will work with federal and local policymakers to provide firsthand perspective on immigration reform
Washington, DC – January 17, 2025 – Today, a bipartisan coalition of Mexican American and Latino business leaders across the United States launched The Comité de 100 focused on supporting bipartisan immigration reform, prioritizing border security, legalizing essential workers and catalyzing economic growth.
The Comité de 100 is a first-of-its-kind organization uniting businesses across agriculture, hospitality, construction and health care and will advocate for policies creating long-term solutions to address gaps in America’s immigration system, including protecting essential industry workers, Dreamers and mixed status marriages. The coalition aims to work closely with federal and local policymakers to provide important firsthand perspective and insights to inform policy decisions and create an immigration system that is fair, efficient and beneficial to all Americans.
Comité de 100 is supported by the American Business Immigration Coalition, a bipartisan coalition of 1,400+ CEOs, business owners and trade associations across 17 mostly red and purple states.
The Hispanic labor force in the United States has grown significantly in recent years, with the number of Hispanics employed rising from 17.4 million in 2003 to 30.3 million in 2023, an increase of 75 percent.
“My father was an immigrant who worked in construction — and he always reminded me that every project starts with a solid foundation. The same is true for America’s immigration system,” said Massey Villareal, Comité de 100 co-chair, and CEO and President of Precision Task Group. “We need sensible, bipartisan solutions that secure our borders and also recognize the cross-industry contributions of immigrant workers. Without them, construction would face severe labor shortages as over 30 percent of our workers are immigrants.”
“In the restaurant industry, nearly a quarter of employees come from immigrant communities, and when workers are lost, it disrupts operations, increases hiring costs and affects the consistency of service,” said Comité de 100 co-chair Sam Sanchez, owner of Third Coast Hospitality and National Restaurant Association board member. “A record number of Latinos voted for Trump because they want him to deliver real solutions and stability. These are crucial for our industry to survive. As President Trump and Congress seek important reforms, it’s critical that businesses have a voice to ensure these policies prioritize economic growth, stability and protect our industry’s future.”
“The Comité de 100 is launching at a pivotal time,” said Representative María Elvira Salazar (FL-27). “This group of prominent Latino-American business owners and job creators will be a powerful voice for commonsense immigration reform. We need strong reforms, such as the Dignity Act, that seal our border but also give dignity to those who are here and contributing to the American dream. I look forward to working with the Comité to advance solutions that benefit families, hard workers, and all Americans.”
“Latino GDP is $3.6 trillion, with Mexican Americans contributing $2.16 trillion – 60% of hat total,” said Rebecca Shi, executive director of American Business Immigration Coalition. “ABIC is proud to support the Comité de 100 as important voices for Latino and Mexican American leaders, entrepreneurs and workers who power our economy. For the first time, they’re calling on President Trump and Congress to deliver for these hard working, long-term contributors. The momentum is real, and change is coming!” In 2025, the group will actively recruit and build a coalition of Latino and Mexican American businesses, focusing on coalescing diverse perspectives across agriculture, hospitality, construction and healthcare. Members will be added to the Comité de 100 website as they join the coalition.
Today, Comité members Villareal and Sanchez penned an op-ed published in USA Today on the coalition’s launch. Read the piece here.