The money from 10 corporations adds to about $3 billion previously announced and will "support farmers, create textile jobs and invest in telecommunications and other industries" in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, Shear writes. 

Success may not be rapid, as some of the participating companies themselves note. And changing the narratives around migration in these countries is about more than spending money, of course. But the announcement is a positive step. 

In another sign that immigration is likely to be part of tonight’s address, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient Mitzi Colin Lopez will be among First Lady Jill Biden’s guests, Jonathan Tamari reports in The Philadelphia Inquirer.  

Welcome to Tuesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Dynahlee Padilla-Vasquez, Clara Villatoro and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].  

‘WE NEED THE LABOR’ — Immigrants are helping fill labor gaps, but tackling growing visa backlogs remains critical, per Lydia DePillis of The New York Times. "[W]e’re seeing a drop in permanent visas and an increase in temporary ones," said Al Flores, restaurant owner and the general counsel at a group of Tex-Mex restaurants in the Houston area. "At some point those folks have to move on, sometimes to other countries where there’s more open arms. And that’s tough for us, because we need the labor." 

FOOD INSECURITY — The shrinking immigrant workforce also is affecting farmers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, reports Lisa Scheid of LNP/Lancaster Online. "I see this as a food security issue," said Lisa Graybeal, co-owner of Graywood Farms and an advocate for agricultural visa reforms.  

LEGAL JEOPARDY — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are expressing their frustration as they face legal threats both new and ongoing, Justo Robles reports for The Guardian. "I can’t plan ahead because my future consists of judges’ decisions," said Areli Hernandez. Meanwhile, Erin Snodgrass of Insider reports on the saga of Jaime Avalos, a DACA recipient who is now stuck in Mexico. 

OUR COMMITMENT — A clear pathway to permanent residency for Afghan evacuees is urgent, advocates Amy Marden and Timothy "Tito" Torres write in an op-ed for The Hill. "If we fail to advocate for durable pathways for our most trusted allies, many may be less than a year from deportation," Marden and Torres write. "[I]f Congress adopts a policy to support Afghan [special operations forces], it will signal to the world that the U.S. honors its commitments to allies." 

MPP DEVELOPMENTS — The Mexican government said Monday that it opposes the potential restart of the Migrant Protections Protocols (MPP), otherwise known as "Remain in Mexico," reports Kylie Madry of Reuters. In December, a judge blocked President Biden’s attempt to end the program after a group of states filed a lawsuit. 

Thanks for reading, 

Dan