What deportations mean for U.S. businesses

Last week, President Barack Obama announced a review of his deportation policy, to sighs of, “here we go again” from the business community.

Business groups that support immigration reform say what they really need is the certainty an immigration bill would bring, so they don’t have to worry about workers they thought were legal getting deported. “There’s concern about, what would happen if they lost those workers someday.  Because if you’re a small business owner your workers are your business,” says Tamar Jacoby, president of ImmigrationWorks USA.

Jacoby says the deportation review could actually hurt chances for immigration reform this year by complicating already-tense negotiations between congressional Republicans and the White House.