NALEO Educational Fund Joins Hundreds of Latino Leaders Calling for Immigrant Protections

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund today announced it had joined more than 200 Latino business, faith, civil rights and community leaders from across the country and political spectrum in a new effort organized by the Comité de 100 and the American Business Immigration Coalition Action (ABIC Action) calling on President Donald Trump and congressional leaders to provide work permits and legal protections for long-term undocumented immigrants.

In an extraordinary show of unity, and as Latino voters weigh the economy, immigration, and the direction of the country, the coalition is bringing together Latino leaders with diverse political and ideological perspectives around a shared call to address the status of long-term immigrants who have lived, worked, paid taxes, and contributed to their communities for years.

"We may be MAGA, we may be progressives, we may be somewhere in between," reads a new letter signed by hundreds of Latino leaders from national, state, and regional organizations, the private sector, faith, community, and nonprofit organizations, as well as elected and public officials across the country. "We are all united in demanding that both Republicans and Democrats in Washington deliver solutions that allow long-term undocumented immigrants, many of whom have worked, paid taxes, and contributed to our communities, families, and workplaces for decades, long-term solutions that allow them to live and work legally without fear."

"Long-term immigrants are our neighbors, our colleagues, our community - people who have worked, paid taxes, and built lives here for years, often decades. Latino elected and appointed officials know this reality better than anyone. They see it in the districts they serve and hear it from the constituents who come to them for help. NALEO Educational Fund joined this coalition because NALEO members and our communities cannot afford to wait any longer. This coalition's message is clear and urgent: it is time to deliver the commonsense protections long-term immigrants have earned," said Erica Bernal-Martinez, CEO of NALEO and NALEO Educational Fund.

Among the hundreds of signatories were Erica Bernal-Martinez , CEO of NALEO and NALEO Educational Fund; Massey Villarreal , co-chair of Comité de 100 and CEO of Precision Task Group; Janet Murguía , president and CEO of UnidosUS; the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez , president and CEO of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Ramiro Cavazos , co-chair of Comité de 100 and president of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Roman Palomares , president of LULAC; Ana Valdez , CEO of Latino Donor Collaborative; Gary Acosta , CEO of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals; Florida Republican State Senator Ileana Garcia ; Sergio Barajas , executive director of the National Hispanic Construction Alliance; Raul Raymundo , CEO of The Resurrection Project and an American Business Immigration Coalition board member; and Sam Sanchez , co-chair of Comité de 100 and CEO of Third Coast Hospitality.

The new effort comes alongside bipartisan polling conducted by BSP Research and Shaw & Co. for the American Business Immigration Coalition and American Families United (AFU). The survey of 1,353 Latino registered voters in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas examined voter attitudes ahead of the November 2026 midterms, including the role of immigration as a voting and mobilizing issue.

The poll found broad support for protections and solutions for long-term immigrants, with 63 percent of respondents saying the treatment of immigrants is "one of my top issues" in 2026. A staggering 75 percent also said they would be more likely to support a candidate who backs work permits for long-term undocumented immigrants who have been working and paying taxes in the United States. Additionally, the poll found widespread support for protections and solutions for long-term immigrants, with 63 percent of respondents saying the treatment of immigrants is "one of my top issues" in 2026.

"The Hispanic vote is won with respect. Respect for our community means fighting for and delivering these long-overdue protections for long-term immigrants. We need action now, from this administration and from leaders in Congress," the hundreds of Comité de 100 signatories conclude in their joint letter.

The Comité de 100 is planning to convene additional events and mobilizations with Latino leaders and organizations across the country during Hispanic Heritage Month and in the weeks leading up to the November 2026 elections, as Latino engagement and attention to immigration policy remain central to the national conversation.

Read the full Comité de 100 letter HERE .

View the full list of signatories HERE .

Read the full polling and public opinion memo with key takeaways HERE .