About Session
Immigrants sustain the backbone of the U.S. economy: 1 in 5 workers is an immigrant, and about half of immigrants are noncitizens—millions of people who grow our food, build our homes, care for our families, and drive innovation and entrepreneurship. They contribute billions in taxes and consumer spending, yet many remain deeply vulnerable to unjust policies that tear families apart, drain local economies, and erode human dignity.
Escalating efforts to criminalize, marginalize, and deport immigrants threaten not only individual lives but the long-term stability and prosperity on which companies—and investors—depend. One estimate suggests that mass deportations alone could shrink U.S. GDP by up to 6.8%, an economic shock worse than the Great Recession.
Beyond immediate economic losses, enhanced immigration enforcement poses a systemic risk to entire industries—like agriculture, construction, and hospitality—disrupting supply chains, straining local economies, and fueling social division that undermines the conditions for sustainable, inclusive growth. The erosion of social cohesion, widespread labor shortages, and the destabilization of local communities threaten the long-term health of the entire economy—undermining the very markets in which we invest.
As faith- and values-driven investors, we have both the responsibility and the power to press companies to champion just, humane immigration policies that safeguard workers’ rights and economic resilience. This session will lift up immigrant voices, explore the real economic and systemic impacts of punitive immigration policies, and challenge us to push companies for greater transparency, ethical leadership, and public advocacy for fair, humane, and forward-looking immigration reform.
Together, we will ask: How can we as investors stand boldly with immigrant communities—calling companies to protect workers, reject exploitation and fear, and help build an economy that honors the dignity of every person?
