‘New Dems on the Road’ host inaugural event in Phoenix focused on immigration

PHOENIX – The “New Dems on the Road” held their inaugural event this week, a roundtable focused on immigration policy and border security in Phoenix.

Who are the ‘New Dems on the Road?’

The New Dems describe themselves as moderate, pro-business Democrats who are hoping to win back the majority in 2026. The New Democrat Coalition is the largest ideological caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives with 114 members as of 2025. New Dems immigration co-chairs Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton and California Congressman Lou Correa met with business leaders and immigration stakeholders to host the roundtable.

HAPPENING NOW: The New Dems on the Road hold their first roundtable. Congressmen Greg Stanton and Lou Correa are in Phoenix to talk border security. @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/d0BH6XdvEA

— Heidi Hommel (@heidi_hommel) April 23, 2025

Immigration and the U.S. workforce

Several organizations spanning many different industries participated in the roundtable. A member from Arizona Leading Age said 40% of the workforce in direct care are immigrants and there’s currently a 20% vacancy rate in long-term care.

A representative from the Arizona Interagency Farmworkers Coalition said the agriculture industry is a $25 billion a year industry in Arizona. The coalition would like immigration reform to include the right to work and a pathway to citizenship.

A leader with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said there are three main concerns for small businesses right now. Small businesses are worried about workforce shortages and safety issues due to threats of deportations. Businesses are also worried about their supply chain due to pending tariff policies.

New Dems on immigration policy vs. Republicans

Stanton said illegal border crossings began to drop after former President Joe Biden’s executive action on the border. However, he admits Biden’s efforts came too late, although he believes it was the right thing to do. He says Biden’s asylum policy was disorderly because of how many came here seeking political asylum.

“People would come across, plop down, wait for border patrol to find them, present themselves as asylum seekers and then be able to stay here for many years before they had a hearing,” Stanton said. “It looked like a lot of chaos at the border, very frustrating for the American people.”

Stanton also called for smart immigration policy. He said he supports President Donald Trump sending troops to secure the border or improving technology at the ports of entry but would like to see smart immigration reform as well. Stanton said if Republicans are going to shut down the border and not allow legal immigration, it will be bad for the economy.

“The other side, their rhetoric is so extreme that if they were to present any proposal to increase legal immigration, they’d probably get primaried,” Stanton said.

Congressman Correa said border security doesn’t end or begin at the border. He said California has the biggest agriculture sector in the United States and that 70% of those agriculture workers are undocumented. Likewise, 40% of those in the technology industry are immigrants. He said if the U.S. wants to be the best in biotech, high-tech or agriculture we must rely on the immigrant community.

“Immigration is not about immigrants, immigration is about America and keeping us strong,” Correa said.

Correa added visa holders studying at universities who have had their visas revoked by the Trump administration could be creating the next big invention or patent. He said the research grants Trump has canceled also attract the best and brightest workers.

Stanton said immigration reform is critically important to grow the American economy.

This was the first event of more to come for “New Dems on the Road.”

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