Tag Archives: Charles Schumer

Business Versus Labor: Creating New Immigration Laws

Usually at odds over immigration laws, the AFL-CIO, the giant labor organization, and the Chamber of Commerce, have been requested to chisel out a proposal that will make everyone on both sides of the aisle in Congress happy.

This request was made by Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, in the hope that, given these two groups’ opposing interests, a compromise both Republicans and Democrats can live with will be created.

Most controversial on the list of reforms that labor and business don’t see eye to eye on is a guest worker program which will allow future immigrants to come into the country legally. Labor groups see the permission of foreign workers into the country as threatening since these workers will work for low wages. Business, on the other hand, would like to see more low-wage workers brought into the country, and the more legal they are, the better.

At the moment both sides of the issue appear optimistic that they can reach an agreement. Schumer is cautious however, since he and other observers note that this issue derailed a similar attempt at creating comprehensive immigration reform legislation back in 2007.