A coalition of conservative groups are calling on Florida’s Congressional delegation to help get immigration reform done on a federal level. They say Congress should take its cues from the Republican-led Florida Legislature, which already passed a couple of immigration reforms this year.
State lawmakers approved measures allowing children of undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition and they also paved the way for non-citizens to practice law in Florida. Al Cardenas, the Chairman of the American Conservative Union, says that sends a strong message.
“It was a message to Washington that even with a conservative Legislature in the state of Florida, there is bipartisan support for measures such as this,” said Cardenas.
That’s why he along with Ed Moore with the Florida Center-Right Coalition want support for what they call “meaningful immigration reform” authored by Republican Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart. Moore says if that doesn’t happen, people who come to the U.S. to study will continue to go elsewhere for jobs.
“They go to Brazil, they go to France, they go to other countries where they end up competing in industry against the United States. It’s just bad, bad public policy,” said Moore.
Ideas backed by Associated Industries of Florida's Senior VP Brewster Bevis includes creating a means for them to gain legal work status as well as creating new temporary guest worker visas.
All made their comments on a Thursday conference call, just days after President Barack Obama made comments that there’s only a small window to get immigration reform passed in the GOP-controlled House this year.
For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.
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