Labor and immigration organizations in Southern California are supporting a reform bill that would legalize 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez on Tuesday unveiled the reform measure that also would insist on employment verification, beef up border security, and give added benefits to agricultural workers and young immigrants.
"We applaud the introduction of this significant legislation at a time when America desperately needs solutions to fix our broken immigration system that is tearing families apart," said Angelica Salas, executive director at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.
She said Americans in the past few months have been engaged in vibrant debate about how to bolster the U.S. economy, expand access to health care, protect the environment, and fortify the financial system.
"We believe America is ready to do the right thing and address the need to pass common sense reform that restore fairness to our labor markets, recognize the contributions of immigrant workers and families and help get the economy back on track," she said.
CHIRLA called the bill a "serious, fair and responsible solution to our nation's ailing immigration reform system and demonstrates progress and momentum for action by this Congress."
Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, said in a statement that Gutierrez's proposal would create a new sense of urgency for tackling one of the most pressing issues facing the country today.
"Immigrants take jobs most other American workers won't take for wages most other American workers won't accept and under conditions most other American workers won't tolerate," Durazo said.
Gutierrez, an Illinois Democrat, said he had spoken with leaders in the House and Senate and expected that the Senate would act on the measure first - probably in February or March.
However, even before his press conference was concluded, Republicans began assailing the measure as an amnesty bill and one that doesn't include a needed temporary worker program.
"It is simply wrong to award citizenship to those that have recklessly disregarded our nation's immigration laws," said Congressman Gary Miller, a California Republican.