It's time to renew a push for immigration reform

Yuri Cunza | The Tennessean

Show Caption Hide Caption Nashville lawmakers, advocates voice support for 'sanctuary city'-like policies Vice Mayor David Briley and other local lawmakers urged the city Wednesday to adopt two bills that would put into practice some sanctuary city-like policies in Nashville.

Elected officials have not taken steps to pass immigration reform to keep up with a changing world.

Yuri Cunza is president and CEO of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Immigration is one of the most urgent problems our country faces today. With a little political will and leadership, it can be solvable.

There are an estimated 11 million undocumented people in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. These people are living and working in the shadows in fear of deportation or prosecution, instead of contributing to and helping to grow our economy.

Meanwhile, nationally and in our state, businesses across industries like agriculture, construction and technology are suffering critical shortages of workers needed to fill open job positions.

We find ourselves here because, for years, elected officials have not taken the necessary steps to pass immigration reform to keep up with a changing world.

The most recent attempt at reform in 2013 received bipartisan support in the Senate, including support from two great statesmen of Tennessee, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, but failed in the House.

Now, the political will to pass immigration reform seems to be changing. In the past several weeks, Republican statesmen like U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina have renewed reform conversations to address the calls from businesses and communities.

The Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce believes leaders on both sides of the political aisle can come together and agree on several key elements to achieve meaningful reform.

Immigration reform must secure our borders. This country was built on upholding the rule of law. Allowing an unchecked flow of undocumented immigrants into this country is irresponsible public policy, economically unsustainable and unfair to the immigrants who came here legally.

We must also accept that mass deportation of undocumented immigrants is not a realistic option. It would be economically, politically and morally disastrous to deport millions of people, many of whom have lived here productively and peacefully for years. Amnesty cannot be the solution, either.

Instead, we should provide a pathway for those who are not criminal threats to our society to come out of the shadows and earn their way to a legal status.

Immigration reform should address critical labor shortages that are hurting many American businesses. Some businesses cannot fill open jobs, be productive and stay competitive without tapping into an immigrant workforce. Immigrant workers, hungry to pursue the American Dream, are willing and available to fill many positions.

Our immigration system should help bridge the gap between labor demand and worker supply. Reforming visa programs to provide adequate temporary, revocable worker permits will help immigrants fill job vacancies and businesses be successful.

Although immigration reform can be a divisive issue, we can all agree that failing to uphold the rule of law, creating communities of second-class citizens and compromising the economic prosperity of our nation is not the American Way.

I've spent half of my life in Nashville since my first visit in 1992. Despite floods, economic downturns, and even worse, episodes of immigrant-phobia, our Hispanic community has been and remains vibrant.

I've been a tourist, a foreign student visa applicant, an unskilled factory worker, a cook, and many times, just your average José. By 2004, I was serving as Chairman of the NAHCC, an organization I lead today as CEO, representing small businesses to “foster economic development opportunities, integration, and sustainable Hispanic business prosperity.”

On Sept. 22, 2006, I became a U.S. Citizen. My unexpected journey has shaped me into becoming a leader and a very proud resident of this city. It is a great honor to help highlight Hispanic contributions as community members, workers and consumers.

There is an opportunity to lead on this issue. I urge Corker and Alexander to help broker bipartisan agreement on immigration reform that will benefit our businesses and our communities.

Yuri Cunza is president and CEO of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and member of The Partnership for a New American Economy.