For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
WASHINGTON — Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson met with leaders from business, law enforcement, and faith communities to discuss a wide range of immigration issues, including the need for commonsense immigration reform. Today’s meeting is part of the on-going thorough and inclusive review process Secretary Johnson is undertaking to assess how the Department of Homeland Security can better enforce and administer immigration laws.
As part of the ongoing review, Secretary Johnson continues to engage with various stakeholders and members of Congress that are also working towards achieving a permanent solution by enacting commonsense immigration reform that will strengthen our security. In addition, Secretary Johnson has included and continues to seek the advice and input of his team within DHS including component leadership and frontline employees - the very people that are charged with implementing DHS policies and enforcement priorities. Since taking office, the Secretary has made clear that he shares the President’s commitment of enforcing and administering our immigration laws effectively and sensibly, in line with our values as a country.
During the meeting, Secretary Johnson underscored the importance of Congressional action to pass commonsense immigration reform– which will offer a permanent solution to our broken immigration system.
Participants in today’s meeting included:
- Mr. Kevin Appleby, Policy and Public Affairs Director, Migration & Refugee Services, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Mr. Ken Barbic, Senior Director for Federal Government Affairs, Western Growers
- Commissioner Fred Bealefeld III (Ret.), Baltimore, MD
- Ms. Kristi Boswell, Director of Congressional Relations, American Farm Bureau Federation
- Ms. Theresa Brown, Director, Immigration Policy/Bipartisan Policy Center
- Mr. Galen Carey, National Association of Evangelicals
- Mr. Charles (Chuck) Conner, President & CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
- Mr. Manuel Cunha, President, Nisei Farmers League
- Mr. Barrett Duke, Vice President for Public Policy & Research, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
- Ms. Patricia (Patty) First, Raben Group
- Sheriff Adrian Garcia, Harris County, TX
- Mr. Randel (Randy) Johnson, Senior Vice President for Labor, Immigration, & Employee Benefits, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Chief Tom Manger, Montgomery County, MD
- Mr. Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum
- Ms. Maria Gaby Pacheco, Co-Director, Bridge Project
- Mr. Craig Regelbrugge, Senior Vice President, American Horticulture Industry Association
- Reverend Gabriel Salguero, President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition
- Mr. Todd Schulte, Executive Director, FWD.us
- Ms. Hanna Siegel, Chief of Staff, Partnership for a New American Economy
- Reverend Tony Suarez, Vice President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
- Ms. Jessica Toliver, Deputy Director of Technical Assistance, Police Executive Research Forum
- Mr. Chuck Wexler, Executive Director, Police Executive Research Forum
- Mr. Jimmie Williams, Director, Global Government and Public Affairs, McDonald's Corporation
- Ms. Jenny Yang, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy, World Relief
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
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