Senator Markey criticizes Trump's Small Business Administration for curtailing immigrant access to business loans
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Markey said it's important for the SBA to explain why it's making these changes.
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'There is no evidence that this is a program that's been abused at all,' Markey said in an interview. 'This is a system that has worked well for generations. As part of Trump's casting a shadow over immigration, they're really going to cause serious harm to immigrant entrepreneurship in our country.'
The two Democrats also asked the SBA to outline the impacts from the decisions to relocate regional offices in seven cities, including Boston, because the administration deemed them to be so-called 'sanctuary cities.' Among other things, they want to know what kind of impact these office relocations have on SBA services for immigrant entrepreneurs.
Representatives for the SBA did not provide a response to the letter when asked by the Globe on Tuesday. Markey has asked that the SBA respond to the questions in his letter by July 29.
'We have not been presented with any evidence that would justify such a fundamental change in policy,' Markey said. 'To the extent to which the Trump administration is playing political games with people's livelihoods rather than sustaining their livelihoods, we want to give them an opportunity to explain what their rationale is.'
Jon Chesto can be reached at
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