Source: PRESS RELEASE, 11/20/14

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue issued the following statement tonight regarding President Obama’s announcement of executive actions on immigration:

“Meaningful and lasting immigration reform can only be achieved through the enactment of bipartisan legislation.

“We call upon the president and lawmakers of both parties to enact common sense measures to provide the American economy with the workers it needs at all skill levels, while better securing our borders and dealing with undocumented immigrants. Successfully competing for the world’s best talent and hardest workers will be indispensable to our efforts to grow the economy and expand jobs and incomes for all Americans.

“Executive actions cannot adequately fix our broken immigration system, and they raise important legal and constitutional questions. Yet the debate over the president’s announcement must not be allowed to forestall progress on critical priorities such as expanding trade and energy production, strengthening our national defense, reforming the regulatory process, or tending to the immediate and longer-term fiscal challenges facing our nation.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.