ANLA Applauds President Bush’s Renewed Commitment to Comprehensive Immigration Reform

The American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) applauded President Bush for expressing his strong commitment to comprehensive immigration reform during yesterday’s State of the Union Address.  

The President highlighted that reform must include: 1) security at our borders; 2) a workable worksite enforcement system; 3) a temporary worker program that will respond to the needs of our economy; 4) a program which will bring hardworking undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and be considered for permanent legal status provided certain strict criteria are met; and 5) expanded efforts to promote assimilation of immigrants into our society.

“After years of advocating for comprehensive immigration reform, we are very encouraged by the amount of time and focus that President Bush gives to finding a workable solution to the problem,” said John Farner, ANLA’s director of legislative relations. “With his leadership, we are confident that Congress can follow the principles laid out by the President and pass comprehensive immigration reform this year.”

Last Congress, the Senate passed a bi-partisan comprehensive immigration reform bill that mirrored the President’s 5 principles. Efforts to pass a comprehensive bill in the House stalled as Republican leadership decided not to address the issue before the 2006 elections.

“With Congress addressing the H-2B cap each year, along with continuing to show strong support for AgJOBS, we need a comprehensive solution that addresses both our seasonal and year-round employment needs,” Farner said. “What the President has laid out is a workable framework to allow us to fix both the current temporary worker programs and create new programs that will ensure our economy and our borders secure.  It’s time for our industry to join the President and renew our call for comprehensive immigration reform.”