Houston Immigration Summit Highlights the Need for Smart Reforms
Sep 15, 2011
Houston, TX (Law Firm Newswire) September 14, 2011 – The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC) recently held their 2011 Immigration Summit Luncheon & Business Expo to show how immigration reform affects area businesses and people. The HHCC has more than 4,000 members that cover every facet of industry – from big business to manufacturing, energy production and construction, to retail and service jobs, and cutting-edge technology and health care businesses. Members discussed and debated the latest immigration policies, including the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, and how they are impacting Houston’s families and economies.
The HHCC is the largest Hispanic chamber in the nation and prides itself for embracing many different spectrums of the business community from start-ups to multinational companies. But many of the chamber members are concerned by the “enforcement only” policies in immigration debates right now.
“Instead of truly encouraging business innovation and attracting foreign talent to come to the U.S. and allow them citizenship, the business community is seeing naturalization backlogs and empty promises,” said Houston immigration attorney Annie Banerjee. “Everything seems to be focused on the negatives of illegal immigrants. There are many foreigners who want to legally stay in the United States and contribute positively to our businesses and communities.”
The Houston Coalition for Immigration Reform, a chamber member, echoes this sentiment. They coalition is working “…to change unjust laws and systems in order to assure that the law serves our communities effectively and justly. Reforms in our immigration system should respect the sanctity and unity of families.”
The Immigration Summit included the Texas Restaurant Association, the University of Houston Center for Mexican American Studies, the Houston Area Urban League, Americans for Immigration Reform, the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, the Houston Coalition for Immigration Reform, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the Greater Houston Partnership, and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
As an immigrant herself, Annie Banerjee understands the need for immigration policies and reform. She agrees that immigration opportunities should be open to people who want to seek a better life, education, work in the U.S., and abide by the laws. For more than a decade she has counseled individuals, families, and business in all their immigration matters. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, State Bar of Texas, and American Bar Association.
To learn more, visit http://www.visatous.com.
Law Offices of Annie Banerjee
131 Brooks Street Suite #300
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
Phone: (281) 242-9139
