Immigration Special Interest Groups Claim Grand Bargain Deal Close

Despite opposition from the majority of Americans to any form of immigration reform that does not include strengthening border security and law enforcement before legalization, immigration special interests are now publicly claiming such an amnesty deal is close in Congress.

“Business groups say their grassroots efforts to build support for an immigration overhaul are paying off and making them increasingly optimistic that Congress will complete comprehensive legislation this fall,” The Hill‘s Vicki Needham reports. “Manufacturers and business leaders are spending the bulk of the August congressional recess canvassing the country, sitting down with lawmakers and chatting at local town-hall meetings to explain how fixing the immigration system is crucial to the nation’s economic future.”

In her article, Needham quotes several different special interest groups advocating for amnesty for America’s 11 million illegal aliens, including the Business Roundtable, the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the National Council of La Raza, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) as all working together to push for amnesty.

“We believe strongly that fixing the immigration system makes for a healthier American economy and must attract individuals from around the world,” Matt Sonnesyn, director of research for the Business Roundtable, said.

“Pushing the House to act has been the Chamber’s foremost goal during August and will continue to be our goal when they return in September,” the Chamber’s Blair Latoff Holmes said. “While members of Congress are in their districts, we are making sure they hear from the business community.”

NAM vice president of human resources policy Joe Trauger said the special interest groups are focused on helping corporations, not American workers. “We have to have a system so people to come in and work as market demands it,” Trauger said.

Needham also noted how immigration has created alliances between these different special interest groups because they all get something out of the end product.

“NAM and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) sent a letter to the Senate in support of their legislation,” Needham wrote. “Manufacturers also are teaming up with the National Council of La Raza, with NAM CEO Jay Timmons speaking at the group’s annual conference last month.”

A GOP congressional aide told Breitbart News though that despite any appearances of bipartisanship, the failure of all of these special interests to stand up for American workers is a serious problem.

“These entities and the people leading them are not trying to advance one political party,” the GOP aide said. “And at first that sounds refreshing. But the problem is they also don’t put America first, and these efforts are certainly not in the interest of our people who are struggling to find work or who need to find work.” 

“What’s being undertaken here is not remotely patriotic,” the source said.