The Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs, sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Thursday expressing “serious concern” about changes in immigration policy. The CEOs said the policy changes are causing “considerable anxiety for many thousands of our employees” and threatening to disrupt company operations.

“Due to a shortage of green cards for workers, many employees find themselves stuck in an immigration process lasting more than a decade,” the letter stated. “These employees must repeatedly renew their temporary work visas during this lengthy and difficult process. Out of fairness to these employees — and to avoid unnecessary costs and complications for American businesses — the US government should not change the rules in the middle of the process.”

Several policy memoranda issued over the past year by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will result in “arbitrary and inconsistent adjudications,” the CEOs stated.

USCIS actions significantly increase the likelihood that long-term employees will lose their status, the letter said. Employees who played by the rules now face the following uncertainty:

• Inconsistent immigration decisions
• Uncertainty about required information
• Revoked status for spouses
• Commencement of removal proceedings

The CEOs also said inconsistent immigration policies are unfair and discourage talented and highly skilled individuals from pursuing career opportunities in the US. “At a time when the number of job vacancies are reaching historic highs due to labor shortages, now is not the time restrict access to talent.”

“As the federal government undertakes its legitimate review of immigration rules, it must avoid making changes that disrupt the lives of thousands of law-abiding and skilled employees, and that inflict substantial harm on U.S. competitiveness,” the CEOs wrote.

The letter was signed by members of the Business Roundtable, including Aramark Corp.’s Eric Foss, ADP’s Carlos Rodriguez and Day & Zimmermann’s Harold Yoh. The full letter is available online.