The Forum Daily | Thursday, February 27, 2025https://immigrationforum.org/

**THE FORUM DAILY**On top of the major implications for families and individuals, small businesses are also feeling the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, as Michelle Fleury describes in a recent episode of the Marketplace Morning Report [link removed].  

Immigrant business owners now fear for their futures, despite being longtime contributors to their communities, Fleury notes. 

"I’m college-educated, a business owner of multiple businesses, I do right, I’m part of the community, but I’m still considered a criminal because of what? Of coming into the country as a child, and I don’t have a legal pathway to fix that," said Sarahi Marquez, who owns a bakery on Staten Island, New York. 

Meanwhile, some local governments and organizations around the country continue to recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities. In Nevada, state Attorney General Aaron Ford announced a model for immigration policy, reports Kevin Sheridan of KOLO [link removed]. 

In Minnesota, a new report [link removed] from the state Chamber of Commerce shows the contributions immigrants make to the state’s economic growth, reports Dan Niepow of Twin Cities Business [link removed]. 

And in Michigan, local business leaders are rallying behind immigrants, reports Steve Neavling of Detroit Metro Times [link removed]. 

"Talent and population growth are top issues for business, and simply put, the numbers don’t lie," said Rich Baker, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Chamber. "Immigration is a critical source to our state’s economic prosperity and our future growth."  

Welcome to Thursday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s assistant VP of strategic communications, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Soledad Gassó Parker, Dan Gordon, Broc Murphy and Becka Wall. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected] mailto:[email protected]. 

**INTERDEPENDENT** — Community leaders in Boise, Idaho, are raising concerns about the impact of mass deportation on the local economy, especially on the agriculture industry, reports Jude Binkly of KTVB7 [link removed]. Idaho companies employ 35,000 undocumented immigrants. "We've got basic economic needs like food production that wouldn't happen without this workforce," said Idaho Dairymen's Association CEO Rick Naerebout. Separately, in California, a team at the Los Angeles Times [link removed] examines the aftermath of raids in an agricultural community in Kern County. 

**ALLIES** — Nasib, a former Afghan intelligence officer who arrived the country in 2023 and obtained parole, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a regular check-in two weeks ago with limited explanations. His experience reflects the fears and uncertainty many Afghan allies are experiencing under the current administration, reports Beth Bailey for Reason [link removed]. Nasib's lawyer says that as an Afghan ally with no record, he shouldn't be detained. 

**REVERSE FLOW** — A reverse flow of migrants is returning south after waiting in Mexico for asylum appointments, bringing up concerns of safety as many attempt to travel through the Caribbean Sea by boat, reports the Associated Press [link removed]. Panamanian authorities are taking measures to protect those along their shore, although the trips are irregular, making them difficult to track. Last week, authorities were criticized after an 8-year-old migrant returning to Venezuela died when the boat she was on capsized. 

**DIVINE ENCOUNTERS** — In their new book, volunteers at Interfaith Welcome Coalition in San Antonio, Texas, share a collection of personal stories about their encounters with asylum seekers, reports Elaine Ayala of the San Antonio Express-News [link removed]. The book aims to combat disinformation about migrants and emphasizes biblical themes such as humanity and empathy. Katie Myers, the group’s board chair, said, "I’ve learned that no matter what gifts I offer to people, I am blessed far more by them." 

Thanks for reading,  

Clara 

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