California Chamber of Commerce Letter to the California

August 30, 2013
California Congressional Delegation
District Offices
California
Dear Member of Congress:
The California Chamber of Commerce and the undersigned chambers of commerce stand united in support of
adopting comprehensive national immigration reform this year. America’s current immigration
system is broken and does not meet the needs of our citizens or businesses. Immigration reform is especially
important to California as there are approximately 2.6 million undocumented immigrants in California – 23% of
the nation’s total, half of which have lived here for over ten years. The uncertainty
over their legal status is a drag on our economy and, if resolved, would stimulate consumer spending and
investment.
California is home to the technology industry, which relies on highly skilled talent to innovate, design,
manufacture, create jobs and grow the economy to enable success in the global marketplace. Employers
cannot find enough “home grown” engineers and scientists and urge reforming of the inadequate H-1B visa
program. If the industry can’t find and bring enough skilled workers to California, they will go to where the
engineers and scientists live – most likely offshore, which would not be a good outcome for the state.
California’s unique and successful agriculture industry needs a temporary worker program that will provide a
predictable workforce. Immigration reform should bring certainty to employers, employees and families.
We support the following comprehensive reform principles:

Border security should be a line of defense against those who enter illegally and against those who
pose security threats to this country, but borders must also allow for legitimate commerce and travel.
Mexico is California’s number one export partner. Border security, while absolutely necessary to
achieve a bi-partisan solution in congress, shouldn’t be at the expense of our trade and commerce
with Mexico.

Temporary worker programs should be reformed to meet the needs of employers for high and low
skilled jobs that cannot be filled by U.S. workers. The current system leaves many hard working
immigrants in a state of limbo waiting for approvals while employers struggle to keep their most valued
asset, a trained work force.

Strict enforcement of employment verification has to be combined with 100% reliable employment
eligibility information (E-Verify). Employers and individuals that knowingly hire undocumented workers
should be punished.

An earned pathway to legal status for undocumented workers should be created, but should not permit
line jumping in front of the current immigrant visa backlog and the processing of legal immigration
needs to occur simultaneously to avoid creating incentives for illegal immigration.
America cannot compete and win in a global economy without attracting and retaining a talented workforce of
big dreamers. Immigration reform is one of the compelling challenges of our time. We appreciate and urge
continued bi-partisan efforts for a congressional solution.
For more information or to further discuss our policy, please call Allan Zaremberg, California Chamber of
Commerce at (916) 444-6670.
Sincerely,
Allan Zaremberg, President & CEO
Steve Rose, President & CEO
California Chamber of Commerce
Culver City Chamber of Commerce
Barbara de Boom, President & CEO
Donna Duperron, President & CEO
Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce
Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce
Cindy Pollard, President & CEO
Mathew R. Mahood, President & CEO
Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce
San Jose Regional Chamber of Commerce
Al Smith, President & CEO
Sharon Silva, President & CEO
Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce
Turlock Chamber of Commerce
Steve Van Dorn, President & CEO
Gene Wunderlich, Government Affairs Coordinator
Santa Clara Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce
Southwest California Legislative Council
Darletta Willis
Darletta Willis, President & CEO
El Centro Chamber of Commerce
Glenn Morris, President & CEO
Visalia Chamber of Commerce
Nancy Lindholm, President & CEO
Oxnard Chamber of Commerce
Gene Wunderlich, Government Affairs Coordinator
Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce
Todd Ament, President & CEO
Anaheim Chamber of Commerce
Rick Wells, President & CEO
San Rafael Chamber of Commerce
Gene Wunderlich, Government Affairs
Randy W. Gordon, President & CEO
Murrieta Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
Sarah Ekeberg
Brendan Huffman, Managing Director
South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce
Director of Government Affairs
Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce
Bob Linscheid, President & CEO
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Bryan Starr, Sr. Vice President
Orange County Business Council
Gary Toebben, President & CEO
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Brendan Huffman, Managing Director
Chambers of Commerce Alliance of Ventura & Santa
Barbara Counties
Diann H. Rogers, Pressdent & CEO
Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce
Kristen Miller, President & CEO
Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce
Ken Oplinger, ACE, President/CEO
Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce
Ed Summers, President & CEO
Ventura Chamber of Commerce
B. M. Gorman, President & CEO
Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce
Gene Wunderlich, Government Affairs Coordinator
Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce
Cindy Roth, President & CEO
Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
Jody Hansen, President & CEO
Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Sean Paroski, Business Advocate & Governmental
Affairs
Camarillo Chamber of Commerce
Jerry Sanders
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
Pat Patrick, President & CEO
Lodi Chamber of Commerce
Sandra Y. Sillis, President & CEO
Dinuba Chamber of Commerce
Glenn Morris, Chairman
Central California Chamber Alliance
Stuart Waldman, President
Valley Industry & Commerce Association
Michele Spears, President & CEO
Victor Valley Chamber of Commerce
Scott Raty, President & CEO
Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce