Randy Boyd Endorses ‘Partnership for a New American Economy’ Approach to Illegal and Legal Immigration

Gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd is a named member of the Partnership for a New American Economy (PNAE).

The PNAE has shortened its name to “New American Economy” but hasn’t changed its advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform which highlights the work ethic and perceived business ambitions of legal and illegal immigrants over native-born Americans.

Founded in 2010, the PNAE is a powerful and well-funded coalition led by business leaders and chambers of commerce which formed to convince the public and policymakers that comprehensive immigration reform like the 2013 “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill would help grow the economy and create jobs for Americans.

Included in PNAE’s “15 key economic issues of immigration reform in America” are:

• Supporting legal status for the 11.4 million undocumented immigrants which PNAE says pay taxes and do the jobs American citizens won’t do, and despite being in the country illegally, “even start their own businesses.” In a 2014 Wall Street Journal oped, PNAE co-founder Rupert Murdoch said that illegal immigrants who are already here should be provided a path to citizenship.
• Supporting resettlement of refugees who PNAE says that after living in the U.S. between 16-25 years are earning well above the income of refugees who have been here for five years or less. Moreover, PNAE believes refugees are the answer to reviving aging and declining communities.
• Pushing state and local policymakers to support in-state college tuition for illegal immigrant students.

The PNAE’s Tennessee specific report denigrating the work ethic and educational achievement of native-born Tennesseans, claims there are 21,402 self-employed Tennessee immigrants generating $542 million in business income with predicted future voting power.

Missing from PNAE’s report, however, is the cost of small business sales tax evasion that has been discovered by the Tennessee Department of Revenue Special Investigations leading to indictment and arrest. For example, cases in the past several years include:

2016
Mosamod Halima Aktar – Discount Tobacco & Grocery
Vinod Kumar – Om Sai Ram Drummonds, LLC
Chinyan “Linda” Ye – 72 Market & Deli
Mohammed Amani and Khalid Moutiq – Tropicana Market
Shashank Patel – Super Discount Tobacco and Beer
Mohammad Shahidul Islam – South Side Market
Masoud Zand – Quality Cars

2015
Kanakkumar Patel – Old Columbia Market
Mitesh Khokani – M&M Sparta Smoke
Jaykumar Suresh Patel – Tobacco Mart
Dharmesh Patel – JB’s Express
Ali Al-Harbi and Mohamed Nagi – Twins Food Mart
Prakash Patel – Cheap Discount Tobacco and Beer

2014
Bhikhabhai Patel – Citgo Food Market
Ali Hussein Khalil – Andy’s Market
Ismail Ali Ayesh – Bi Lo Market
Munther Irbash – Adam’s Beverage Barn
Vivian Q. Le – Osaka Japanese Cuisine
Fadel Dumah – Northside Deli & Grocery and Skylake Food Mart
Shirishkumara Hira – Comfort Suites
Nishant (Neil) V. Meraiya – for several markets owned in Cookeville, Holliday, Red Boiling Springs, Westmoreland, Carthage and Lebanon

2013
Muuad A. Nasser – Tony’s Market and Jimmy’s Tobacco
Vipul Manubhai Patel – Tobacco and Beverage Mart
Mustafa El-Zabet – Quick Stop Mart
Syeda N. Sajjad – Twin Valley Market
Ameed Jabr – Kwik Stop Grocery & Deli
Aftab Badalpara – Floyd Market
Nabih H. Zaher – NSP Discount Beer & Tobacco
Kamalesh C. Patel – First Stop Market
Yaser Alhalemi – Lucky’s Number 3
Riyaz Kherani – Avon Amoco
Punit Rajendra Patel – PFS Market
Daljit Sandhu – Zips Market #4
Brahim Mazouzi – Magnolia Mini Mart

The PNAE is planning a renewed immigration reform blitz directed at the Trump administration working through local communities like Nashville by giving them “Gateways for Growth” money, mobilizing college students, and just like in 2013, telling elected officials the likely dire consequences for re-election if immigration reform as they define it is not accomplished.

In 2013, PNAE predicted that failing to pass the “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill would “impact the Republican Party in future campaigns for the White House.” That same year PNA  joined with Obama’s “Organizing for Action,” and “Republicans for Immigration Reform” to launch the “Largest-Ever Virtual March on Washington.” Jeb Bush was listed as a top supporter of the event.

Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd was an at-large delegate for  Jeb Bush in the Republican primary for president.