Chamber of Commerce launches immigration-focused ad campaign for Texas candidate

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is hailing Rep. Will Hurd’s (R-Texas) support for “Dreamers” in its first immigration-focused campaign ad of the 2018 election cycle.

“Will Hurd is fighting to protect the Dreamers,” the ad, released on Thursday, says. “He’s also leading the charge for new border security measures that will keep our communities safer. Will Hurd is working for all of us.”

The term Dreamers refers to immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children, some of which are beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which temporarily shielded some such immigrants from deportation and gave them permission to work in the U.S.

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President Trump rescinded that program last year, although a court order temporarily protected it. Hurd is among a group of moderate Republicans pushing Congress to pass legislation extending protections for Dreamers.

Hurd will face off against Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones in the Nov. 6 election. USA Today reported that the Chamber is set to spend six figures on television and digital ads supporting Hurd. 

The Chamber of Commerce has opposed the Trump administration’s stance on immigration, pressing lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to earn legal status.

The group has also criticized Trump’s decision to rescind DACA, arguing that doing so weakens the U.S. economy.