According to the World Journal, Tom Donohue, President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, stated on the 14th that the United States needs immigrants, as well as agricultural and seasonal workers. He urged Congress to pass a national immigration bill and to quickly amend Arizona's “New Immigration Law.”
Donohue made this call during a luncheon press conference at the National Press Club on the 14th. He emphasized that aside from Native Americans, everyone else in the United States is an immigrant. He said that the United States needs both high-skilled and low-skilled workers. The U.S. urgently needs to retain foreign high-tech talent who have obtained a doctoral degree in the U.S. using visas like H-1B, stating that it is currently challenging to keep these individuals.
Donohue mentioned that the U.S. also needs agricultural and seasonal workers. He indicated that due to strengthened border security, California can no longer find farm workers, resulting in abandoned fields. Farmers are left with no choice but to move to Mexico to cultivate crops and then sell them back to the U.S.
Donohue pointed out that Arizona's “New Immigration Law” is excessively punitive and contradicts the spirit of America. He stated that if all illegal immigrants are driven away, there will be no one to fill their jobs, ultimately harming the U.S. However, he does not support the ongoing actions to boycott Arizona's “New Immigration Law” across the country.
Donohue emphasized that the United States ultimately needs to pass a national immigration bill to address the guest worker issue. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce differs from the labor community in its stance on guest workers. The Chamber seeks to increase the intake of guest workers, while the labor community aims to protect local workers.
