Mending the Broken U.S. Immigration System

On March 11, 2010 President Obama met with Senator Schumer (D-NY) and Graham (R-SC) regarding the status of comprehensive immigration reform and their efforts to put together a bi-partisan bill. At the meeting, the senators gave the White House a six-page framework for a comprehensive bill. Their op-ed plan went into detail of what they called their four pillars: “biometric Social Security cards to ensure that illegal workers cannot get jobs; fulfilling and strengthening our commitments on border security and interior enforcement; creating a process for admitting temporary workers; and implementing a tough but fair path to legalization for those already here.”

Their plan went into detail about taking “other steps expanding domestic enforcement to better apprehend and deport those who commit crimes and completing an entry-exit system that tracks people who enter the United States on legal visas and reports those who overstay their visas to law enforcement databases.”

Both senators also declared that their legislation “would award green cards to immigrants who receive a PhD or master's degree in science, technology, engineering or math from a U.S. university.” Furthermore their framework “would facilitate this desired circular migration allowing more lower-skilled immigrants to come here when our economy is creating jobs and fewer in a recession; and permitting workers who have succeeded in the workplace, and contributed to their communities over many years, the chance to earn a green card.” Their legislation will also include “legalizing more than 11 million immigrants by making them pay their debt to society…”

The White House also met with advocacy and immigrant rights groups as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business stakeholders. Senior leaders in the White House reaffirmed the President’s commitment to immigration reform.

Immigration issues continue to be a concern for DFW businesses, foreign governments and academic institutions as they engage talent from around the world to remain competitive in an increasingly global economy. The Dallas Regional Chamber has historically supported national employer-based immigration policies and we support immigration reform which will give employers access to a legal workforce to meet legitimate business needs in all sectors of the economy. For more information on this issue please contact Sarah Carabias-Rush at srush@dallaschamber.org or (214) 746-6750.