U.S. Chamber Praises Immigration Task Force Call for Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce praised a report issued by an independent task force sponsored by The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations today, which recommended Congress and the President make comprehensive immigration reform a top priority during 2005.

"This report will add significantly to the current debate surrounding the need for immigration reform," according to Randel K. Johnson, Chamber vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits policy, and a member of the task force. "We are pleased that the report, one of the few that analyses immigration issues across the board, recognizes that the status quo is plainly unacceptable."

Future reform must include both expanded temporary worker programs and earned legalization, according to the report. It also cautions that US-VISIT must be carefully implemented at the land borders as our commerce depends on effectively regulated, smart borders that allow for the timely and predictable crossings of goods and people. The report also points out that delays in visa processing are already having a negative impact on U.S. businesses and universities, calling for improved partnerships with those who sponsor temporary visitors to this country.

The report is a consensus document developed over the last year with the input of labor and business leaders, including the U.S. Chamber, the Illinois chapters of the SEIU and AFL-CIO, Aon Corporation, Rolls-Royce, Pew Hispanic Center, and the Federal Reserve Bank of

Chicago, among many others.

"Importantly, the report also emphasizes that immigration policy must strive to incorporate immigrants into the economic, social and political fabric of the United States, through English proficiency and other steps, and that immigration and anti-terrorism efforts can compliment each other for the betterment of the country," said Johnson.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce 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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