Business and labor groups have cleared a major hurdle in the path to overhauling the nation's
According to the reports, the powerful business and labor groups reached a deal on a guest-worker program for low-skilled immigrants. New York Sen.
A guest-worker program had been the biggest hurdle toward comprehensive immigration reform. Labor
The agreement means that the so-called bipartisan "Gang of 8" Senators could introduce immigration legislation when Congress reconvenes in April.
The New York Times has more details on the program:
The agreement resolved what the pay level should be for low-skilled immigrants — often employed at hotels and restaurants or on construction projects — who could be brought in during labor shortages.
Labor groups wanted to ensure that guest workers would not be paid any less than the median wage in their respective industries, and the two sides compromised by agreeing that guest workers would be paid the higher of the prevailing industry wage as determined by the Labor Department or the actual employer wage.
Under the deal, guest workers would be allowed to pursue a path to citizenship and to change jobs after they arrived in the United States.
Two of the Senators in the so-called "Gang of 8" — Schumer and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) will be on "Meet the Press" Sunday morning.