Comprehensive Immigration Reform for a Growing Economy

In January 2004, President Bush called upon Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform that would secure our borders, meet our economic needs, and uphold our best traditions as an immigrant nation. In response, the House and Senate will soon begin the difficult task of reconciling two starkly different immigration bills. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, a prominent member of the president’s economic team and an immigrant himself, has called on Congress to pass an immigration bill that not only protects our borders but also “recognizes the needs of a growing economy.” In a major address, the secretary will explain why reform must include a temporary worker program and a “hard-earned path to legalization” for undocumented workers already in the United States.