IMMIGRATION
Our Perspective
Members of the Colorado Forum believe that the U.S. immigration system is antiquated, inefficient, and unfair. We encourage a reformed system that does not condone illegal behavior but recognizes the economic benefits of bringing 11 million undocumented individuals “out of the shadows”. We believe that immigration reform will drive economic growth by allowing our workforce to be strengthened by individuals who desire to live and work in this country. These reforms are important for Colorado’s businesses and agricultural interests, family welfare, and the diversity and skills that new immigrants will bring to our local and state communities.
We support expanding the H-1B visa opportunities for highly skilled individuals from foreign countries to work in the U.S. We believe that integrating undocumented workers into the fabric of our society by offering these individuals work permits, with or without a path to citizenship, will benefit Colorado and stabilize our workforce.
Our Work
The Colorado Forum has been engaged for more than a decade as an advocate for immigration reform. We have spent a great deal of time and effort encouraging our elected officials to pass a bipartisan immigration reform package and were pleased to see that work accomplished in 2013 by the U.S. Senate. We urged our Representatives in the U.S. House to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform legislation as well. We have met with immigration reform leaders in the White House and the U.S. House and Senate during our annual Washington trips. We continue to believe immigration reform is a critical element in the future success of our state and our country.