InsideSources

While often rivals in business, Google, Facebook, and Amazon are among 161 tech companies collectively asking the Supreme Court to strike down the Trump administration’s second travel ban. The companies range from sharing economy businesses Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb, to the entertainment giant Netflix, to the internet provider Verizon, to music streamers Pandora and Spotify.

The companies, including most of Silicon Valley’s most prominent tech giants, filed an amicus “friend of the court” briefing with the nation’s highest court Monday asking justices to strike down Trump’s second attempt at the ban on immigrants from Syria, Libya, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan.

Companies’ legal brief to justices — who will hear oral arguments on the ban in October — describe the executive order as “a significant shift in the rules governing entry into the United States,” and one that is “inflicting substantial harm on American companies, their employees, and the entire economy.”

“It hinders the ability of American companies to attract talented employees; increases costs imposed on business; makes it more difficult for American firms to compete in the international marketplace; and gives global enterprises a new, significant incentive to build operations—and hire new employees—outside the United States,” the filing reads.

Beyond hurting tech companies, many of whom rely on the H-1B visa program for high-skilled workers to recruit foreign immigrants with tech talent, the group says the ban exceeds Trump’s legal authority.

“To bar a class of aliens from the United States, the president must reasonably determine that their entry would be detrimental to the Nation, and then craft an order that reasonably addresses any threat that those individuals might pose,” they argue.

According to the companies, Trump’s ban “falls far short of these requirements” because it “neither explains why the targeted individuals’ entry would be detrimental to the United States nor imposes reasonable restrictions.”

Instead, the White House order uses “vague words of national security,” the group says, while “overrid[ing] those standards without any explanation, let alone sufficient justification.”

“Congress in 1965 prohibited discrimination in immigration decisions on the basis of national origin precisely so that the nation would not shut its doors to immigrants based on where they come from,” the brief reads, “but the order does just that. It would turn the clock back and restore the national-origins system that Congress expressly abolished.”

A significant portion of the tech companies’ argument against the ban uses one of Trump’s favorite talking points against him — that federal regulation, in this case Trump’s own, hurts the U.S.’s global economic competitiveness. In addition to throwing a roadblock between Silicon Valley and talented foreign-born workers, they say the ban makes it harder to “send their employees abroad, to grow their operations, and, fundamentally, to compete in the global economy.”

“[The companies] believe that the order will therefore stifle the nation’s economic growth and global competitiveness,” the group told the court.

Trump’s first travel ban enacted in January included Iraq and took effect immediately, causing chaos at airports and confusion among Customs and Border Protection. That executive order was put on hold a week later by a federal judge in Washington state, and a San Francisco federal appeals court declined to lift a restraining order in February.

The Trump administration’s second version of the travel ban removed Iraq from the list of barred countries, gave more notice to border enforcement agencies, removed a permanent ban on Syrian refugees, exempted legal permanent residents, and removed language favoring Christian immigrants.

Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland put a hold on the ban before taking effect in March. The administration appealed the Fourth and Ninth U.S. Circuit Court challenges to the Supreme Court, which unanimously allowed a limited version of the ban to take effect. Justices agreed the ban could only impact refugees and immigrants lacking a “bona fide” relationship to an individual or entity (such as a job) in the U.S.

In September, a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the Trump administration from denying entry to extended family including grandparents, aunts, uncles (it previously tried to argue bona fide relationships only included parents, siblings, fiancés, step-family and in-laws) and bans on immigrants in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and those with arrangements made by U.S. resettlement programs.

The Supreme Court moved in again last week to bolster the Trump administration’s case, relieving the Ninth Circuit restrictions on refugees in resettlement programs.

Justices are scheduled to hear oral arguments on Oct. 10.

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Demonstrators marching to end white supremacy braved the rain Wednesday to converge on Washington D.C. after walking from Charlottesville, Virginia.

The March to Confront White Supremacy was organized in the wake of increased racial tensions and violence. The progressive organizers warn that white supremacist violence, rhetoric, and policies have escalated over the years. The over one hundred mile walk took 10 days for the protesters to complete.

The Action Group Network hosted the march alongside some of its progressive partner organizations. The organizers also held a rally to welcome the marchers to Washington D.C. The welcome rally met outside the city so that everyone could cross the Francis Scott Key Bridge into the city together.

“I was very angry about Trump and how he stirred up racism in this country so I had to come,” University of Hawaii Prof. Noel Kent told InsideSources from the march. “This is what I’m fighting back against; injustice and the way America is moving towards something frightening. I always thought we were better than this.”

The welcome rally joined the marchers on their final 11 miles of the journey. The crowd continued onwards through the western side of Washington D.C. They passed the Lincoln Memorial before eventually ending up at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

The march covered just over a hundred miles in total. Most of the marchers participated for part of the walk while some braved the whole thing. March organizers encouraged protesters to participate for as long as they were able. They also setup checkpoints along the way to ensure participants had time to eat and rest.

The country has faced increased racial tensions in recent years with the situation seemingly getting worse. Charlottesville saw the tensions turn to violence during a white nationalist rally last month.

Bonnie Yoder is a teacher from Charlottesville who was compelled to join the marchers after the incident. “White supremacy and racism have always been a concern for me,” Yoder told InsideSources. “I’m lucky to teach in the city of Charlottesville in a wonderfully diverse school, and when people came directly into my city and threatened my children, it really pulled at my heartstrings. This march was a healing thing for me.”

Antifa, short for anti-fascists, has become one of the more well-known groups fighting against what they see as a rise in racism and fascism. The self-described anti-fascists have been denounced on both sides of the political aisle for deploying violent tactics and targeting essentially anyone who disagrees with their progressive and socialist ideals.

The organizers behind the march explicitly warned violence was not welcomed. They added that the nonviolence rule applies to threats as well. The organizers urged marchers to instead engage in what they called confrontational nonviolent action.

Alexandra Hughes joined the final couple of days of marching to protest against racism and hatred. She noted that as a mixed-race woman she has had to deal with racism in her own life. Hughes participated in the march with her mother and aunt. They all traveled down together from Buffalo, New York.

“One thing that really sucks in that racism does affect my job,” Hughes told InsideSources. “I am a waitress and it sucks to have people who see me and either don’t want me as their server, or they don’t tip me as much, or anything at all just because I’m a little bit darker than they are.”

Hughes adds that she is trying to pay her car and college tuition just like anybody else. She also hopes to represent everyone who couldn’t make it to the march like her brother who was too busy with school obligations to come. Hughes believes the current racial tensions have come to a standstill.

“I think it’s really at a standstill,” Hughes said. “There are people who are trying to make it better and help out. But I feel there were just as much people that are the complete opposite. Even while we were marching there were people over here saying everyone matters, there are people across the street yelling at us, telling us to shut up and go home.”

The march against white supremacy is just one of many demonstrations that have have been organized in the month since Charlottesville. Protesters expressed concern over the increased popularity of extreme right ideologies, and what they see as a racist agenda from President Donald Trump.

The Charlottesville rally was organized to protest the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces. Rally participants had gathered in Emancipation Park which had a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The rally included white supremacists, white nationalists, alt-right activists, and neo-Nazis.

Heather Heyer was killed during the incident when a participant in the white nationalist rally crashed his car into a group of counter protesters. She has since become a symbol for many protesting white supremacy and racism. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has since denounced the racially-driven violence as an act of domestic terrorism.

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Republicans have launched their ambitious push to fundamentally overhaul the tax code in what is likely to become a tough policy fight in the months ahead.

Republicans hope to comprehensively reform the tax code in a way that hasn’t been done in decades. They have been preparing for the push over the last year. Trump marked the unofficial start of the tax reform effort Wednesday during a speech in Springfield, Missouri. He highlighted his top tax reform priorities without going into detail.

American businesses have become increasingly less competitive since the last time the tax code was fundamentally reformed in 1986. Trump noted during his speech that comprehensive tax reform is the foundation of his economic agenda. He touted a recent increase in economic growth as a sign his policies are starting to work.

“My impression is that the main players, the leadership in the House, the Senate, and the White House are all working on some sort of joint tax plan,” Tax Foundation analyst Scott Greenberg told InsideSources. “They’re trying to come up with an approach that is mutually satisfactory to all the parties so that there’s less tension inside the coalition, and not the internal infighting we saw over the course of the healthcare debate.”

Trump expressed disappointment with congressional leaders for failing to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act. Republican leaders seem determined to make tax reform a success after their healthcare debacle. Party leaders even started pivoting towards tax reform as some lawmakers were hoping to keep trying on healthcare.

If Republicans are going to move forward on tax reform and succeed in passing a bill, there are nine critical points they will need to consider.

 

1.) Simplification and Rate Reduction

Republicans have argued among themselves about what the details of tax reform should be. But the overarching themes have tended to remain consistent. The top priorities they have highlighted over the past year are to do something comprehensive, simplify the tax code, and reduce rates for both individuals and businesses.

“The federal tax code is full of deductions, credits, and other special preferences,” Greenberg said. “One of the elements of tax reform is going to be trying to eliminate as many of those as possible. Both to simply the tax code and raise some revenue because the second element of tax reform is lowering marginal rates.”

Trump highlighted rate reductions and simplification during his speech in Missouri. His speech mirrored a summary his administration released April 26. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Kevin Brady introduced a more detailed policy blueprint last year which covered that same general themes.

“On the individual side, besides cleaning out the code and thereby reducing some rates, I think it’s important to simplify things,” Jeff Kupfer, professor of public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, told InsideSources . “We have multiple provisions that deal with certain areas that could get simplified.”

 

2.) Details Will Come Later

Republicans will have to figure out the details eventually if they want to pass comprehensive tax reform. While Republicans were broadly united on the need to replace Obamacare, the effort stalled when they were finally required to write the details into law. Similarly, tax reform minutiae will likely cause division among lawmakers working to get something drafted. Republican leaders will have to be careful not to let infighting get in the way of actually passing a bill.

“You have the members of the tax-writing committees that will put the bill together and figure out what the specific provisions are going to look like, how they can reach certain revenue numbers, and whether they can pull in certain votes by including various provisions,” said Kupfer, who served on a panel focused on federal tax reform under former President George W. Bush.

 

3.) The Hope For Economic Growth

Republicans hope to reform the tax code in a way that helps stimulate economic growth. President Trump has made the economy a central focus of his administration since starting his campaign. He has had a particular focus on working class issues. The economy and labor market were slow to grow in the decade since the last recession.

“Many of the specific proposals lawmakers are thinking about are particularly chosen with economic growth in mind,” Greenberg said. “As they setup their goals for tax reform, economic growth is certainly at the forefront of lawmaker’s minds when they are choosing priorities.”

The overall economy did start to show notable gains roughly two years ago. Trump won in large part by appealing to middle-class workers who felt left behind in that recovery. The Business Roundtable found in a survey that business owners would begin investing more back into their companies and employees if the tax system was improved.

 

4.) Republicans Have Been Preparing

Republicans have long discussed comprehensive tax reform as a top policy goal, but until the GOP won control of the White House and both houses of Congress this past year, reform appeared to be more of a pipedream. They have since released summary plans, held congressional hearings, and launched informational campaigns.

“This has been an exercise that Republicans have been engaged in for quite some time,” National Taxpayers Union senior fellow Mattie Duppler told InsideSources. “House Republicans in particular started with the Better Way Project championed by Speaker Paul Ryan last year.”

The House Ways and Means Committee explored the need for tax reform during a hearing in May. Business leaders testified that effective tax reform is critical to them growing their businesses. Throughout the August recess, Committee Chairman Kevin Brady worked to show why tax reform is so badly needed .

 

5.) Americans Aren’t Overly Excited…Yet

The American people appear far less thrilled over the idea of comprehensive tax reform. Research and polling shows it’s a low priority for many across the country. Republicans and the president will have to convince voters that tax reform is a fight worth having. Dr. Pinar Cebi Wilber argues they haven’t been doing enough to make their case.

“They need to convince the public that we need tax reform,” Wilber, a senior economist at the American Council for Capital Formation, said. “I don’t think middle America knows we need it. We need it. The administration somehow needs to show the typical American that, no, we need tax reform. This tax reform will help your wages, your income.”

Politico and Morning Consult found in a poll in July that 43 percent of voters believe tax reform should be a top priority. Bloomberg found in its own poll July 19 that only four percent of people view tax reform as the most important issue facing the country. Polling has indicated more voters are beginning to view tax reform as a top priority.

“We’ve seen some polling recently that showed many Americans don’t care about tax reform that much,” Duppler said. “I would argue that nothing could be further from the truth–looking at anemic economic growth over the past couple of years, looking how the American competitive advantage has fallen significantly over the years.”

 

6.) American Competitiveness At Risk

American businesses have become increasingly less competitive over the last three decades. The outdated tax code is likely a significant reason behind that drag. Foreign governments have been able to gain a competitive advantage in the global market by constantly updating their tax systems.

“On the business side it’s modernizing the code so that we can deal with the current situation we have in terms of competitiveness of our multinational corporations,” Kupfer, who also works as an adviser to Beacon Global Strategies, said. “But also on the business side bringing in provisions that help with economic growth.”

The National Taxpayers Union Foundation found in a 2015 study that the economy loses $233.8 billion and 6.1 billion hours of lost productivity annually because of the complex tax code. The Congressional Budget Office found in an analysis that the current tax code is becoming increasingly less competitive worldwide.

“There is wide agreement among experts and the Congress that the business side of things is not in good shape,” Wilber said. “We have the highest corporate tax rate, our small businesses are taxed really high. And the last time we did something on the business side was 1986.”

Trump noted during his speech that he is considering cutting the corporate tax rate to just 15 percent. The lower rate would cut the current rate of 34 percent by more than half.

 

7.) No Clear Solution on Funding

Republicans have still not unveiled specifically how they hope to fund the rate reductions. It is possible they’ll look to makeup some lost revenue when eliminating deductions, but it’s unclear how exactly that will look in the end. Leadership originally hoped to use a border adjustment tax, but it prompted too much infighting.

“They would like to do a full tax reform package including the individual and business side,” Wilber said. “But with the goals they laid out before, like lower rates, full expensing, getting rid of some of the loopholes, and losing the border tax adjustment, we need to figure out how to pay for the lower rates.”

Republican leaders dropped the border adjustment tax amid growing opposition within the party. The border adjustment tax is a value added tax levied on imported goods. It is applied when a product is produced in a foreign country but sold domestically.

“The entire fundamental approach is that, if the federal tax code had few carve outs for specific economic interests, then we can raise just as much revenue with lower rates,” Greenberg said. “The interesting questions that haven’t yet been entirely resolved is exactly what carve outs in the tax code are going to be eliminated, and exactly how low can lawmakers get the tax rate as a result.”

 

8.) Is There a Plan B?

Republicans ultimately hope to achieve comprehensive tax reform by lowering rates for individuals and businesses. But its not entirely clear what that will look like when a final bill is drafted. Wilber notes lawmakers may potentially resort to a plan that addresses only the business side if they can’t do something more comprehensive.

“They need to be able to do a good sales job in order to push something this big,” Wilber said. “If they cannot do that, I have a feeling they will end up doing something on the business side.”

Business owners face many tax code obstacles that interfere with economic growth. They are spending funds and time on taxes that could otherwise go to growing their businesses. By only accomplishing reforms on the business side, lawmakers can still at least hope for a boom in economic growth.

 

9.) But What About Political Tensions?

Washington D.C. is also dealing with a lot of political tensions that are likely to interfere in the push for comprehensive tax reform. Republicans are facing infighting while the left is highly opposed to major parts of their reform efforts. President Trump and congressional leaders have also clashed on multiple occasions.

“Clearly there’s a different political environment that would make it more likely than not that the sides can come together,” Kupfer said. “Everything doesn’t have to be a partisan battle, and there are plenty of Democrats who have talked about the importance of tax reform.”

Kupfer adds that he hopes the eventual bill is the product of a bipartisan process. He doesn’t want it to be something that was merely approved along party lines. A comprehensive bill that gets bipartisan support would be challenging, but it might also bring lasting success.

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President Donald Trump outlined his goals for comprehensive tax reform Wednesday ahead of what is expected to be a tough policy fight.

Republicans are gearing up for a major push to fundamentally overhaul the tax code. They have held hearings while making the case for why tax reform is so important. The tax system has not been reformed in any significant way since 1986. Trump gave an overview of his goals during a speech in Springfield, Missouri.

“I want to work with Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, on a plan that is pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-worker, and pro-America,” Trump told a crowd of supporters. “There is no more fitting place to launch this effort than right here in the American heartland surrounded by hardworking men and women whose skills, determination, and drive are truly second to none.”

Trump added that comprehensive tax reform is the foundation to his job creation agenda. He touted a recent increase in economic growth as a sign his economics-focused agenda is starting to work. Trump also called out Congress for failing to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act.

“This is our once in a generation opportunity to deliver real tax reform for everyday, hardworking Americans,” Trump said. “I’m fully committed to work with Congress to get this job done, and I don’t want to be disappointed by Congress. Do you understand me? Understand, Congress? I think Congress is going to make a comeback. I hope so.”

Trump outlined four main goals he hopes to accomplish during the tax reform push. He wants the tax code to be simplified, corporate rates to be reduced, rates lowered for middle income workers, and offshore profits reclaimed. He argues the tax code has become increasing less competitive internationally since 1986.

“We need a competitive tax code that creates more jobs with higher wages for Americans,” Trump said. “Ronald Reagan led the world by cutting our corporate tax rate to 34 percent. That was below the average rate for developed countries at the time. Everybody thought that was a monumental thing that happened. But then under this pro-America system, our economy boomed.”

Trump adds that other countries saw the economic growth and started lowering their rates which made them more competitive over the years. He is hoping to reduce the current corporate tax rate down to 15 percent. He adds that lowering rates for everyday Americans will also help spur economic growth.

Republicans have been vocal advocates for tax reform over the years. The election last year opened up a new pathway to actually getting comprehensive tax reform done. Republicans now have the presidency along with both congressional chambers.

The White House released an early summary of its tax reform plan this year. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Kevin Brady introduced a blueprint last year which detailed many of the same provision. Both plans are designed to simplify the tax code and reduce both corporate and individual rates.

“Republicans have been engaged in this process for quite some time,” National Taxpayers Union senior fellow Mattie Duppler told InsideSources. “The better way blueprint was one of the more significant steps forward in terms of putting meat on the bone for tax reform. But now it’s time for real progress.”

Republican leaders have held hearings and released detailed outlines of what they hope to achieve. The House Ways and Means Committee discussed the need for tax reform during a hearing in May. Business leaders testified that effective tax reform could help spur economic growth.

“It’s making progress in that there seems to be focus on it as an important priority,” Jeff Kupfer, professor of public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, told InsideSources. “But there’s also a lot going on, obviously, on other issues around the country so the attention towards tax reform is diverted from where it could be.”

Kupfer formerly served on a panel focused on federal tax reform under former President George W. Bush and worked as an official with the U.S. Treasury Department.

The National Taxpayers Union Foundation found in a 2015 study that the economy loses $233.8 billion and 6.1 billion hours of lost productivity annually because of the complex tax code. The Congressional Budget Office found in an analysis that the current tax code is becoming increasingly less competitive worldwide.

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President Donald Trump is scheduled to give a speech Wednesday in preparation for what is expected to be a fierce battle to reform the tax code.

Republicans have looked towards comprehensive tax reform as a top priority. Since the election last year they have had a clear pathway to do something about it. They hold both congressional chambers and the presidency. But comprehensive tax reform is an ambitious task. The tax code hasn’t been reformed in any significant way since 1986.

Trump is slated to make the case for why tax reform is so critical during a speech in Springfield, Missouri. The White House released an early summary of its plan this year which outlines what the administration hopes to achieve. The summary mirrors many of the same goals congressional leaders highlighted last year.

“When he talks about tax reform I just think he needs to make the case for why it’s important, and why it’s important for everyone,” Carnegie Mellon University Prof. Jeff Kupfer told InsideSources. “Why it’s important for middle-class voters, why it’s important for business, and therefore for jobs and economic growth.”

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found in an analysis that the current tax code is making the United States increasingly less competitive worldwide.  The National Taxpayers Union Foundation found in a 2015 study that the economy loses $233.8 billion annually because of the complex tax code.

“I expect the speech will layout broad principles and goals for tax reform,” Adam Michel, tax policy and the federal budget expert at The Heritage Foundation, told InsideSources. “I don’t expect any specific policy details. Those will come later through the regular order process.”

Trump has previously promised to simplify the tax code and reduce rates to help spur economic growth. He is also in a position to help congressional leaders promote those ideals and urge his supporters to hold Congress accountable.

“The fact that the president has the bully pulpit is very important for tax reform,” Kupfer said. “He needs to begin explaining it in terms so everybody can understand why it’s important for everyday people, and not just multinational corporations.”

Republicans have been preparing to make their tax reform push over the past year. They seem determined to succeed with tax reform after failing to replace Obamacare, which the party had campaigned on since 2010.

National Taxpayers Union senior fellow Mattie Duppler notes that the president is in a position to help by communicating why tax reform is important to normal people. “Republicans have traditionally been seen as the pro-business party,” Duppler told InsideSources. “I think unfairly their tax reform ethos has been cast as a corporate or higher income earner exercise. I think Donald Trump … will articulate, in particular, how pro-growth tax reform has an impact up and down the income scale.”

Republican leaders have held hearings and released detailed outlines of what they hope to achieve. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Kevin Brady introduced a blueprint last year which detailed their goals. The House Ways and Means Committee discussed the need for tax reform during a hearing in May.

Republican leaders have also dropped the border adjustment tax, which was a major sticking point among some party members. The border adjustment tax is a value added tax levied on imported goods. It is applied when a product is produced in a foreign country but sold domestically.

“My biggest concern is that things start getting taken off the table before we actually get to debate,” Michel said. “Congress should be setting its sights on true fundamental tax reform that’s not just temporarily lowering rates. It’s structural reforms like full expensing on the business side, and getting rid of big deductions and complications on the individual side and the alternative minimum tax.”

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A Las Vegas union is hoping to save thousands of immigrants from deportation Tuesday by urging President Donald Trump to extend their protected status.

The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program allows foreign nationals to stay in the country legally if they are unable to return to their home country safely. The protected status for 320,000 immigrants is set to expire at the end of this year. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 believes the deadline should be extended.

Local 226 held a press conference to make its case for why the protection should be extended. The union argues that it wouldn’t be right to force immigrants out after they have spent years building lives in the U.S. The union is urging the president and local lawmakers to extend the program until a pathway to citizenship can be implemented.

“The Culinary Union has been on the front line fight for these immigrants,” Local 226 treasury secretary Geoconda Argüello-Kline said during the press conference. “They live here; they pay their taxes; they work really hard. They want to be citizens of this country.”

House Reps. Jacky Rosen and Ruben Kihuen joined the press conference in support of the union push. Both representatives are Democrats from the state of Nevada.  They urged Republican Sen. Dean Heller to also support the extension with so many participants in their state.

Local 226 notes that many of the immigrants at risk have been here for almost three decades. They have worked in the country and become a part of their community. They have raised children who only know how to be Americans. Local 226 is working alongside its national affiliate, Unite Here, to bring attention to the issue.

The TPS program currently includes immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Unite Here has specifically focused on the 50,000 Haitians that have a protected status. The union argued those immigrants still don’t have a safe home to go back to.

Unite Here organized protests and launched a petition to bring national attention to the issue. The union also joined forces with other advocates like the Haitian Women of Miami and the Florida Immigrant Coalition. The union has argued that the statutes should be extended until pathways to citizenship are developed for them.

The Trump administration announced May 22 that the program would be extended for the Haitians. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the six-month extension just a day before it was set to expire. The Haitians have lived in the country since their homeland was hit by an earthquake seven years ago.

“After careful review of the current conditions in Haiti and conversations with the Haitian government, I have decided to extend the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status for a limited period of six-months,” Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said in a statement. “Haiti has made progress across several fronts since the devastating earthquake in 2010.”

Unite Here and other critics expressed dissatisfaction with the extension when it was announced. The union argues that the ideal would be to extend the program until the government develops pathways so they can stay permanently. The union says they have been here too long to send them back now.

Trump has promised to better enforce immigration law, and pursue policies that protect domestic workers from unfair foreign competition. The administration has said it will prioritize criminal aliens for deportation, but critics have expressed concern the administration will pursue mass deportation, which would include illegal immigrants that are otherwise acting lawfully.

Unite Here represents 270,000 members across the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries. The union, in general, has been a vocal supporter of a more open immigration system.

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Democrats in Congress are accusing the Trump administration of influencing the Federal Communications Commission to repeal net neutrality rules former President Barack Obama called for in 2014, a move they applauded.

In comments to the independent agency filed Friday, House Democrats accused the White House of “directing the actions of the commission” over its potential plan to repeal net neutrality rules. The regulations restrict internet providers like AT&T and Comcast from blocking, throttling, or prioritizing web traffic.

“It appears that the president directly ordered [FCC] Chairman Pai to repeal net neutrality, potentially during a visit to the Oval Office,” Democrats wrote. “If true, this proposal clearly violates our intention to create an agency independent of the executive.”

The filing lays out a timeline beginning in early March when FCC Chairman Ajit Pai met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Neither the White House nor Pai revealed what they discussed during the meeting, but an FCC press release said “no proceedings pending at the FCC were discussed.”

Democrats go on to mention a March 30 White House press conference when then-press secretary Sean Spicer “specifically said that the president intended to take away Americans’ privacy rights. He then implied that the president intended to follow through with his campaign promises to undermine the legal foundations of net neutrality.”

“Shortly after this announcement, Chairman Pai circulated a draft proposal that tracked precisely with the announcement from the White House,” Democrats’ filing reads.

During the press conference in question, Spicer told reporters the White House endorsed a bill from congressional Republicans to remove privacy rules for internet providers, passed under the Democrat-led FCC during the Obama administration. While those rules were an outgrowth of net neutrality, they were passed under a separate proceeding, and no mention of repealing net neutrality is made during the March 30 press conference.

Pai didn’t release his proposal to scale back net neutrality rules until the end of April. But regardless of Democrats’ purported timeline of events, the White House publicly came out in support of Pai’s plan to review the rules in July, when then-deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “[W]e support the FCC chair’s efforts to review and consider rolling back these rules.”

“While the President and his administration are certainly entitled to voice an opinion, it is not permitted to direct the actions of the agency,” Democrats including Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Doyle, the ranking Democrat on the House subcommittee charged with overseeing the FCC, wrote in their comments to the agency. “Unfortunately, this process has been wrought with indications that the president is actually directing the actions of the commission.”

But Doyle didn’t have a problem with the White House directing the FCC in 2014, when Obama in a video and comments filed with the agency, called on the FCC to adopt the strong net neutrality rules it eventually put in place.

“I’m glad to see the president take a strong position in support of the open internet, and join with those of us who have long fought for strong net neutrality rules,” Doyle said in 2014. “I strongly encourage FCC Chairman [Tom] Wheeler and the rest of the commission to adopt the president’s proposal.”

He wasn’t alone. Democrats all the way up to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi applauded Obama.

“Today, President Obama affirmed that free and open access to the internet is a bedrock right of the 21st century,” Pelosi said. “The FCC must act swiftly to create clear and enforceable net neutrality standards so the internet can continue to foster freedom and prosperity here in the United States and around the world.”

Almost 40 caucus Democrats in the House and Senate echoed similar sentiments including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and noted in a 2014 joint letter asking the FCC to adopt net neutrality that “President Obama recently joined us in urging this action.”

Not only did Obama publicly call on the agency to take a specific action, that call reportedly forced the FCC to change course after months of work on a very different, lighter-touch regulatory approach. Republicans, concerned Obama had improperly influenced the agency, subpoenaed documents including emails from the FCC that show former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler ordering his pending plan “paused” after the president’s announcement. He then directed a proposal that mirrored Obama’s comments.

Republicans detailed the order of events, corroborated by press accounts, in a lengthy 2016 report that was widely panned by Democrats. Wheeler later testified to Congress he was not directed by the White House, and that he weighed Obama’s comments like any other.

Pai gave similar testimony to lawmakers following his March meeting in the Oval Office.

“Will the FCC operate independently of the White House?” New Mexico Democrat Sen. Tom Udall asked Pai.

“Absolutely sir,” he replied.

It’s unlikely Pai would’ve needed White House influence to take action on net neutrality. He loudly opposed and voted against the rules when they were passed in 2015 and predicted today’s events if the FCC opted to expand internet regulation on a party-line vote.

“I don’t know whether this plan will be vacated by a court, reversed by Congress, or overturned by a future commission,” Pai said at the time the rules were passed. “But I do believe that its days are numbered.”

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President Donald Trump argued Tuesday that his policies have already helped improve the economy during a meeting with small business owners at the White House.

Trump has been particularly focused on economic concerns since first announcing his candidacy. He has promised to rollback regulations and laws that put an unnecessary strain on employers and their workers. The president listed recent employment and economic growth as indicators he has been successful in that regard.

“Our stock market has reached an all time high today,” Trump told the gathering of small business owners. “They don’t talk about the all time high stock market. And they don’t talk about another factor. Unemployment has just reached a 16 year low. They don’t want to talk about it.”

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) hosted the event alongside the president. SBA Administrator Linda McMahon and White House Adviser Ivanka Trump joined the president prior to holding their own discussion on small businesses.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is another indicator that has looked promising. It tracks the total dollar value of all goods and services produced over a specific time period. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) found in its advance estimates for quarter two Friday that the growth rate improved to 2.6 percent.

“And I think to me, maybe, the biggest, is that GDP for the quarter just released at 2.6 percent,” Trump said. “That’s so much higher than anticipated. Remember when I said we’ll hit three percent sometime over the period of the next two years.”

Trump added that the country is on the verge of a golden age for small businesses. He highlighted his rollback of burdensome regulations, reduction of environmental protections, and tax reform as critical areas that will help the private-sector thrive. He also promised to help small business owners every step along the way.

“I am very inspired to be in the company of such motivated entrepreneurs,” Trump said. “People that I really respect because I know what it takes, I’ve been there. Believe me, I know what it takes. You are the dreamers and innovators who are powering us into the future. That’s exactly who you are.”

Trump is still early in his presidency making it unclear how his actions contributed to these gains. Former President Barack Obama also saw steady employment gains in his final two years and periodic spikes in GDP growth.

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The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is a five member agency that oversees labor dispute cases. The board is split between both major parties with the current president deciding the majority vote. President Donald Trump is close to having his choices confirmed to the board, which could mean several things for workers.

Republicans and the business community hope the new board will become more balanced. Former President Barack Obama oversaw what critics argue was an overly activist NLRB. Democrats and unions have expressed concern that the current nominees have shown a clear bias against labor in the past.

Philip Miscimarra was appointed chairman of the board April 24. He was previously a member who was serving as the acting chairman at the start of the administration. Marvin Kaplan and William Emanuel were nominated in June to fill two open seats.

“For the past eight years, the NLRB has operated as an extension of Big Labor,” Workforce Fairness Institute spokeswoman Heather Greenaway told InsideSources. “We agree with the current administration that Marvin Kaplan and William Emanuel are two board nominees who will restore balance back to the NLRB.”

Emanuel currently works as an employment lawyer in Los Angeles for the law firm Littler Mendelson. Kaplan is currently the chief counsel of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The nominees were able to overcome a recent committee vote and are now just waiting for a final vote on the Senate floor.

The NLRB was able to implement a handful of major changes during the last administration by altering how it ruled on cases. The board focused on how union elections are held, how companies can contract together, and how contract workers are classified.

“I would suspect that the first thing on their plate would be to address some of the problems created by the Obama board, and some of their most damaging actions and decisions,” Peter Schaumber, a former labor board member, told InsideSources. “First and foremost among those, of course, would be the joint-employer decision in Browning Ferris, the micro-union decision in Specialty Healthcare, the quickie-election rule.”

The NLRB was able to implement the changes by updating how it ruled on certain labor dispute cases. The Obama administration argued the changes were designed to better protect workers. Some critics counter the board had simply become overly activist.

“Before Obama, the NLRB really wasn’t making these fundamental changes for a pretty long period of time,” said Ben Gitis, labor market policy director at the American Action Forum. “I just expect them to be much less activist. So they won’t go out of their way to find a case where they can make a fundamental change in something like the joint-employer standard.”

The NLRB was blasted by critics for allegedly showing a bias in favor of unions. The Obama administration often spoke of how critical unions are to protecting workers. Those opposed countered that the decisions actually helped unions at the expense of workers.

“If confirmed, we would expect that the board members would begin to revisit those union-led decisions and rules, such as joint-employer, ambush elections, and micro-unions,” Greenaway said. “All of which have hindered and continue to threaten the American workplace.”

Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the labor committee, recently noted that biased labor boards have been a problem in past administrations, as well. He and others, however, warn the bias went to new extremes during the last administration. Critics hope the next board will be much more moderate.

“These guys aren’t right-wing ideologues,” Randel Johnson, senior vice president of labor at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told InsideSources. “They’ll take the board to a more moderate stance. But I would call it middle of the road to slightly right, while I could call the current board way left.”

The Chamber of Commerce released a report earlier this year detailing what recent decisions the new board should revisit. The report argues the changes made during the last administration have imposed new burdens on employers and workers. The report lists micro-unions, joint-employment, union elections, and employer rights, among others issues.

The next NLRB could have a huge impact by readdressing some of those recent decisions. But there’s no indication they will pursue major changes to labor law beyond that. Gitis believes those nominated to the next board will be quiet compared to the last administration.

“Over the last few years under Obama we have had a very activist NLRB,” Gitis said. “I think the most that they will be doing is undoing those decisions. Beyond that, I think it will be very quiet relative to Obama’s years. They may not take up cases that have a fundamental change for labor law the way the NLRB did under Obama.”

Senate Democrats expressed concern during the confirmation hearing that the nominees have shown a clear anti-union bias in the past. The AFL-CIO released an open letter July 18 arguing the nominees will hurt workers by undermining collective bargaining and other union related rights.

“Emanuel has exclusively represented employers, most recently at the notorious union-busting law firm Littler Mendelson,” the AFL-CIO letter stated. “Kaplan has never practiced labor law – his sole experience with labor law is on a policy level, drafting legislation to weaken worker protections.”

A fully-appointed NLRB doesn’t mean the recent decisions will suddenly be reversed. Board members would first have to find a relevant case before issuing a decision that changes how a law gets interpreted. General Counsel Richard Griffin also poses a challenge as he decides most of the cases the board takes.

“A lot of what the board does is driven by the general counsel,” Johnson said. “It’s not like the board can all of a sudden say, let’s reverse Browning-Ferris. They have to have a case in front of them, and the general counsel has to bring that case to them.”

Griffin is a holdover from the last administration. His four-year term doesn’t end until November. He could prevent the board from revisiting those decisions based on the cases he chooses. Johnson adds it will take time before noticeable changes start coming from the new board members.

“I think it’s obviously important the board is getting a makeover,” Johnson said. “It’s as important a new general counsel get installed as soon as possible. Changes will occur, but the changes aren’t going to occur overnight.”

The NLRB decisions do have limitations that could cause problems later on. They could be reversed by future boards or upended by an appeals court. Congress is in a position to draft legislation that better clarifies how these laws should be interpreted.

“I think it will really depend on what Congress is able to accomplish and what happens in the appeals court,” Gitis said. “There are a few bills congressional Republicans are trying to pass that would undo many of the decisions that were made by Obama’s National Labor Relations Board.”

The president has also managed to fill other positions that are critical to his economic agenda. Alexander Acosta was confirmed as the current secretary of labor April 27. Kaplan and Emanuel are now just waiting for a final vote on the Senate floor.

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