Dear Members,

In the past 48 hours, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce has heard from dozens of our members - representing employers from all industries - who have experienced immediate and varied negative impacts as a result of the recently implemented federal travel restrictions. While we strongly support strategic efforts geared towards a safer country, we stand with our members in voicing deep concern over the Executive Order signed last week by the president, its poor implementation, and the chaos it is causing for our business and institutional community, particularly our region's workforce, students, researchers, and many others. 

The Greater Boston economy depends on the many important contributions of its immigrant business owners, workforce, residents, and visitors. Any regulations that make it more difficult for these contributors to participate and succeed in this economy go against our interests and values as a city and state and could create long-lasting damage to Boston's brand as a global contributor. 

As an organization, we believe our purpose is to make Greater Boston the best place for all businesses and people to thrive. This includes ensuring that we maintain our reputation as a global city, where innovation occurs because of our diverse and collaborative business community and the diversity of ideas that this collaboration produces. The Greater Boston Chamber will continue to embrace this credo and support the contributions of people and business from all countries, religions, backgrounds, and ethnicities. 

In this spirit, the Greater Boston Chamber is providing our members a forum to collaborate and articulate our concerns on this important issue. Please continue to share the impacts of this executive order on your businesses, organizations, and workforce, as well as any other immediate or future immigration concerns you may have. 

In addition, the Chamber will continue to share resources with you to help you navigate this Executive Order and communicate with your employees. Our Member, Seyfarth Shaw has kindly allowed us to share a Management Alert that outlines the Executive Order and offers advice to employers - you can find those guidelines here. The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has offered to be a resource of information and guidance to Chamber members, which may be particularly helpful to our small business owners. 





James E. Rooney
President and CEO
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce