Chamber Urges Caution on Immigration System Reforms

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Chamber of Commerce Vice President for Labor, Immigration and Employee Benefits Policy urged lawmakers to consider the economic consequences of visa and border delays caused by immigration system reforms. The U.S. is scheduled to put in fingerprinting and facial photography screening at the 50 largest land ports by December under the US-VISIT program.

"There is a growing perception abroad and in border communities that America is turning into a fortress," said Johnson, in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Infrastructure and Border Security. "And this perception, based on reality, is hurting American businesses. Decision makers must listen to the concerns of those that must live with the decisions they make."

A recent study by the Santangelo Group for eight business organizations estimated that visa problems alone have cost more than $30 billion to the economy in lost revenues and other indirect costs. Johnson's testimony outlined the need for a layered and coordinated approach to border security that starts before travelers arrive at ports of entry and uses advanced technology to focus on high-risk or unknown visitors while expediting low-risk and frequent visitors.

"Our largest concern is that new policies seem to have been put in place with inadequate consideration of the need for coordination and communication with the private sector, or the real resource needs to efficiently carry out these changes," said Johnson.

"There is a very real skepticism among border communities that the government will be able to implement US-VISIT by December without a significant adverse impact on cross border traffic. The government should do a better job of explaining to individual communities, border crossing by border crossing, how it intends to transform its plans into reality without disrupting border commerce," said Johnson.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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View the Chamber's testimony