Ranking Member Markey Hears How Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Agenda is Turning Main Street into Pain Street

RM Markey hosted 20+ Massachusetts small business owners, SBA lenders, Chambers of Commerce, and stakeholders in Boston last Friday

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(Boston, May 8) - Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) recently hosted a listening session at the Urban College of Boston to hear directly from more than 20 Massachusetts immigrant small business owners, lenders, and chambers of commerce how President Trump's cruel and callous anti-immigrant policies are turning Main Street into Pain Street.

"You are the backbone of our Main Streets-from Boston to Brockton, from Malden to the Merrimack Valley, and from Springfield to Cape Cod. Our Commonwealth cannot grow and thrive without the work you do every single day. The American Dream is NOT for the few, it is for ALL. It is for the more than 91,000 immigrant entrepreneurs and their families who call the Bay State home. It is for YOU," said Ranking Member Markey in his opening remarks. "Your voices, your stories, and your commitment to action is why I'm able to make this case down in Washington, D.C. And I will take your stories and ideas back with me to Capitol Hill to sustain this fight."

During the session, Ranking Member Markey heard from participants how Trump's anti-immigrant, anti-small business policies-including violent immigration enforcement actions, sharing immigrants' sensitive tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and a recent Small Business Administration (SBA) rule change that bars legal permanent residents from receiving SBA loans-have led to fear, confusion, and significant economic damage in immigrant communities across the Bay State. In Fiscal Year 2025, an estimated 237 SBA loans (7(a) and 504), amounting to nearly $100 million and supporting 1,100 jobs, went to green card holders in Massachusetts.

"Immigrant entrepreneurs are the economic backbone of so many of our neighborhoods. Urban College of Boston is always pleased to serve as a convener for critical community conversations, and as an educational vehicle for all to achieve the American Dream. We are so grateful for the seasoned leadership that Senator Markey provides for all residents of our great state and for Americans across our great country," said Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernández, President of the Urban College of Boston.

"The Massachusetts and American story are driven by waves of newcomers who arrived here, identified gaps and opportunities, and built new businesses to grow our state and nation into the powerhouses that we are around the globe," said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition. "Immigrant entrepreneurship is the engine which powers our communities, and Senator Markey's Investing in the American Dream Act is critical to keeping that engine running. We must ensure that our country continues to be a place where all entrepreneurs can dream big and continue to flourish."

"AANHPI small businesses are a driving force in the American economy, creating millions of jobs and generating over a trillion dollars in sales," said Martin Kim, Director of Immigration Advocacy at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC). "The SBA's new policy excluding noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, from critical loan programs threatens that progress. For many AANHPI entrepreneurs, access to capital determines whether they can stay open and grow. When that access is restricted, it threatens not only the small businesses themselves but also the communities they serve. We applaud Senator Markey's leadership in engaging directly with impacted small businesses and urge members of Congress to support the Investing in the American Dream Act to address these challenges."

"As a restaurant owner, I know firsthand that SBA loans can be the difference between opening a business or walking away from a dream," said Jen Ziskin, Executive Director of Massachusetts Restaurants United and co-owner of La Morra and Punch Bowl in Brookline. "Immigrants are the backbone of hospitality and many are here legally, building lives, supporting families, and hoping to one day become owners themselves. We should be creating pathways to opportunity, not barriers that hold small businesses and our communities back."

"Meeting with Senator Ed Markey in Boston was an important opportunity to highlight the incredible impact immigrant-owned businesses are having across Massachusetts, especially in Springfield," said Andrew Melendez, Founder and CEO of Latino Economic Development Corporation. "Many of the guests and entrepreneurs from Springfield shared a common message: they want the opportunity to grow, build sustainable businesses, create jobs, and invest back into their communities. Unfortunately, they are worried and confused about how to access capital due to the recent restrictions. Supporting immigrant entrepreneurs is not just the right thing to do, it is a smart economic investment for the future of our cities and neighborhoods."

"The SBA's recent policy changes that prevent Legal Permanent Residents, and other non-citizens from participating in any of the SBA's valuable programs are changes that are unwelcome, immoral, and antithetical to Common Capital's purpose, mission, and vision for Massachusetts communities and businesses," said Raymond Lanza-Weil, President of Common Capital. "Our government should be in the business of encouraging the full participation of immigrant entrepreneurs in our economy."

"The American Dream shouldn't have a 'Citizenship Only' sign on the door," said Harold Blanco, Executive Director of ECCHO-Latino, Inc. "At ECCHO-Latino, we represent 370 entrepreneurs-mostly mothers-who care for over 2,300 children so Massachusetts can go to work. When the SBA denies a loan to a legal resident ready to expand her childcare capacity, they aren't just blocking a business; they are killing childcare access for entire communities. We fully support Senator Markey's Investing in the American Dream Act to restore the opportunity these educators have earned."

"Behind many small businesses is an immigrant story built on sacrifice, resilience, and faith. Ensuring access to SBA lending and capital is keeping the American Dream alive," said Elizabeth Cruz, President of the Latin American Business Organization (LABO).

"Immigrant entrepreneurs are one of the engines of the American economy," said Howard Wial, Director of Research at ICIC. "They create jobs, strengthen Main Streets, fill critical market gaps, and help communities grow. Access to capital should be based on the strength and potential of the business, not where an entrepreneur was born. When we limit opportunity for immigrant business owners, we limit economic growth for all of us."

Ranking Member Markey vowed to continue elevating participants' stories on Capitol Hill and encouraged participants to stay in close contact with his office as he opposes the Trump administration's anti-immigrant agenda.

• Last week, Ranking Member Markey highlighted the significant contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs in Massachusetts and across the country and condemned the Trump administration's repeated attacks on immigrant communities at a Small Business Committee hearing. MIRA's Elizabeth Sweet, who participated in Friday's listening session, provided testimony at the hearing.
• Earlier last week, Ranking Member Markey hosted a press conference alongside House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-7), Democratic lawmakers, and stakeholders to condemn the Trump administration's harmful anti-immigrant lending policies and to introduce the Investing in the American Dream Act, which would restore previous SBA citizenship eligibility rules for 7(a), 504, Microloan, and Surety Bond programs to include small business owners that are legal permanent residents, including green card holders, asylees, and refugees.
• In March, Ranking Member Markey released a comprehensive report detailing the harms to small business owners, workers, and consumers caused by the Trump administration's ICE raids in communities across the country.