A Letter From Sam Sanchez

As a second-generation American, I know firsthand that immigrant families are the backbone of our economy, our culture, and our future. That belief didn’t come from a policy paper or a polling memo — it came from lived experience.

My work on immigration reform didn’t start in Washington or in response to political headlines. It began right here in my community, in the kitchens and dining rooms of our restaurants, in conversations with workers, families, and young people who simply wanted a fair chance to build their lives.

As a business owner and community leader, I’ve witnessed how outdated immigration laws keep good people in vulnerable situations. I saw how fear shaped everyday decisions. And I saw how much stronger our communities became when we created even a little more safety, dignity, and stability.

Those experiences shaped my purpose long before the headlines.

From the start, I gravitated toward collaboration rather than confrontation. Immigration reform has always required leaders from different backgrounds and political parties to come together, and I made it my job to help build those bridges.

For nearly two decades, I have advocated for immigration reform and pathways to work permits and citizenship for undocumented individuals and Dreamers.

As Past Chair of the Illinois Restaurant Association, I worked with the American Business Immigration Coalition, former State Representative Eddie Acevedo, and Secretary of State Jesse White to create and expand access to driver’s licenses for undocumented residents. Removing appointment barriers was one small policy change, but it dramatically improved safety, mobility, and inclusion for families across Illinois.

That experience showed me what’s possible when we put people over politics.

I worked with the Biden Administration to advocate for an executive order to help mixed-status families, securing residency for more than 2,000 families.

As Co-Chair of Comité de 100, I continue to lead bipartisan efforts that unite business and civic leaders nationwide in support of immigration reform and workforce solutions. Through this role, and as a board member of the National Restaurant Association, I help coordinate national advocacy to align the hospitality industry’s voice behind comprehensive immigration reform, economic growth, and workforce stability.

One of the things I’m most proud of is elevating DACA recipients as leaders in this work. They help organize our advocacy trips to D.C., lead our conversations with members of Congress, and guide our national strategy. Their resilience and leadership ground this movement in lived experience and hope.

Some of the most meaningful moments of my career have come from working with young people. I’ve helped mentor Latino high school students across Illinois, gathering hundreds of them for leadership events, restaurant-based mentorship programs, and community-building workshops.

Their energy, ambition, and talent remind me why this work matters. They deserve a country that values their families, their identities, and their futures.

My commitment has never been about political cycles or public pressure. It has always been — and will always be — about the families who make our communities strong.

I continue to advocate for:

• Comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform
• Protections and pathways for DACA recipients
• Support for mixed-status families
• Workforce solutions that value immigrant labor
• Partnerships that unite business, civic, and community leaders

And I remain committed to listening with humility, learning from the community, and showing up with the same purpose that brought me into this work years ago.

Immigration reform is a long fight, one that requires persistence, courage, and unity. My story is just one part of a much larger movement led by families, advocates, workers, and young people across the country.

I invite you to join us in conversation, in partnership, and in our shared effort to build a fairer and humane immigration system.

This work continues, and I’m committed to being part of it every step of the way.