State Issues

Immigration

The Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce will support legislative action that:

- Creates a guest worker program that is comprehensive, addressing both future economic needs for workers and the status of undocumented workers already in the United States.
- Strengthens national security by providing for thorough screening of foreign workers and creating strong disincentives for illegal immigration.
- Creates an employment verification system that is fast and reliable.
- Ensures that all workers enjoy the same labor law protections. Only by bringing undocumented workers out of the shadows can we protect them from unscrupulous employers who might exploit them.
- Ensures that all documented workers can demonstrate a knowledge of English language and American civic requirements.

Immigration Policy (May 2006)
 

The U.S. House of Representatives has not touched immigration laws since 1986. A bill passed by the House in late 2005 (H.R. 4437) would require all employers of all sizes from all parts of the country to verify that every one of their current employees is eligible to work here; that would include documentation for 140 million people. It is estimated that penalties and paperwork violations could cost up to $25,000 per person. The bill was later killed by the Senate. U.S. Congress is now looking for a comprehensible answer to immigration reform.

Contact Kerri Ginis, the Chamber's Government Affairs Manager for more information at (559) 495-4818 or kginis@fresnochamber.com