Immigration Reform | National Restaurant Association

Public Policy Issue Briefs

Issue: Immigration Reform
Overview: The National Restaurant Association supports comprehensive immigration reform.

Questions? Contact the Association's Public Affairs division.

BACKGROUND: Congress has been debating for years how to fix a broken immigration system. The National Restaurant Association has been a leading force in pushing for sensible U.S. immigration policy. Immigration reform is critical for the nation's security and economic health.

Status
•Congress has been at a standstill on the issue. The Senate’s last effort to pass immigration reform was in mid-2007 when supporters fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bill. A House bill never moved forward. Some lawmakers have pushed for stand-alone measures focused mainly on penalties and procedures for employers, but none of these have passed. The Obama Administration has vowed to take action on immigration reform, but an already busy legislative schedule for Congress in 2009 may delay any action on the issue. Sen. Schumer (D-NY) intends on introducing legislation by Labor Day, with the hopes of passing comprehensive immigration reform by the end of the year.

• State action continues to be heated. In the absence of action by Congress, states and localities have rushed in. State and local laws are often harsh, targeting businesses with aggressive enforcement, new penalties, mandates and paperwork, even threats to revoke business licenses.

• Federal officials are cracking down. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has over the past year raided workplaces, mandated that more businesses use the government’s error-prone E-Verify electronic verification system, and proposed stringent ‘no-match’ guidelines that would force employers to fire employees who can’t resolve name/Social Security number mismatches within 90 days. (However, DHS has announced that it plans to rescind the no-match rules.)

Talking Points
1. Only Congress can fix a broken immigration system. Immigration reform is a national issue. If Congress doesn’t act, states will pass enforcement laws that conflict with or go far beyond federal requirements. Businesses trying to comply with the law will face a moving target of bewildering and punitive laws across the country -- laws that fail to resolve fundamental problems with the U.S. immigration system.

2. The NRA supports a comprehensive approach. The only way to facilitate a sustainable workforce while ensuring national security and prosperity is through comprehensive reform. The NRA supports a plan with four elements: increased border security, a workable employment verification system, a worker program, and an earned path to permanent residence for certain undocumented immigrants.

3. Employers are partners in the immigration debate. Employers are partners in economic growth and job creation, not adversaries in the immigration debate. Businesses and their employees have a vital role to play in immigration reform. Employers want to work with government to find the right solutions.

Questions? Contact Tim Ehlert at (202) 331-5900 or tehlert@restaurant.org.