Multi-Sector Employer Group Concerned About New Immigration Rule

'No Match' rule could hurt Oregon businesses and further depress state economy

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) issued new immigration enforcement rules. Titled
"Safe Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a No-Match Letter:
Clarification; Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis," the new rule is almost
identical to one issued in 2006 which has been tied up in court due to
questions about its legality.

Known as No Match, the rule requires employers to terminate any worker whose
social security number cannot be verified by the Social Security
Administration. However, the rule does not include a component to replace
these terminated workers, thus leaving a major shortfall of labor that could
devastate Oregon's economy. The new rule, much like the one issued in 2006,
still offers only a partial solution to the immigration problem as a whole.

"Immigration reform is a complicated issue," said Jeff Stone with the Oregon
Association of Nurseries. "The only way to successfully fix it is through
comprehensive reform. This is the same rule that does not take into account
the onerous impact and cost it will have to small business."

Stone is co-chair of the Coalition for a Working Oregon (CWO), a group
consisting of 20 leading Oregon employer associations that advocates for
comprehensive immigration reform on the federal level. The group shares
concerns that significant disruption of the labor force without providing a
mechanism for replacing eliminated workers will jeopardize Oregon businesses
and the economy.

The CWO recently released a study that determined the elimination of
undocumented workers in Oregon could reduce statewide economic output by $17.7
billion and reduce state tax revenues by $656 million. The ripple effect to
the Oregon economy would be $8.7 billion over the short term and would cause
additional job loss. The study was conducted by William Jaeger, Ph.D.,
Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Oregon
State University.

In a statement issued today, Secretary Chertoff stated, "Ultimately to solve
the problem of illegal migration...we're going to have to go back to Congress
and see if we can get comprehensive reform in the future." He continued,
"This is not a situation that's sustainable over a long period of time."

"We agree with Secretary Chertoff that immigration reform is essential to
solve the long-term labor issues facing this nation," said Bill Perry of the
Oregon Restaurant Association and co-chair of the CWO. "But he has to
understand that this partial solution will ultimately delay our ability to get
the Federal government to pass meaningful reform."

The new rule will be presented to Judge Charles Breyer of the U.S. District
Court for the Northern District of California. Judge Breyer placed an
injunction on the original No Match rule last year, due in part to the fact
that a comprehensive economic analysis on the effects of the rule had not been
completed.

To view CWO's economic study, please visit the website at
www.oregoncanwork.org.

About Coalition for a Working Oregon

Coalition for a Working Oregon (CWO) is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization
dedicated to promoting sensible and thoughtful comprehensive immigration
reform at the federal level. The CWO is comprised of 20 Oregon employer
groups who represent over 300,000 Oregon workers. For more information on
CWO, please visit www.oregoncanwork.org or call (503) 796-3013.

CONTACT: Kelly O'Brien, 503-274-8886

SOURCE Coalition for a Working Oregon

Kelly O'Brien, +1-503-274-8886, for Coalition for a Working Oregon