Mexico Immigration and Essential Workers

A business coalition led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce met Thursday with senior Mexican officials to discuss reform of U.S. immigration laws to address worker shortages. The Essential Worker Immigration Coalition meeting with Foreign Secretary Jorge Casteneda and Interior Secretary Santiago Creel reflected talks between President Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox -- which continue on Sept. 5 -- on allowing more unskilled and semi-skilled workers into the United States. The expansion and reform of temporary worker programs and targeted earned adjustment for undocumented workers would address shortages in the service and agriculture industries, according to a chamber official. "Current immigration laws are not responsive to the legitimate needs of employers and the nation's future economic interests," said Randel Johnson, vice president for labor policy at the chamber. "These talks are critical to solving our workforce shortage problems and the time for immigration reform is now."