Beck criticizes SEIU for acknowledging that membership includes undocumented workers

Beck mocks Medina and suggests undocumented workers in SEIU means “illegal aliens in health care.” On his radio show, Beck aired audio of SEIU executive vice president Eliseo Medina stating in part that “SEIU is the largest union of immigrant workers in the country; a number of them are undocumented” and that SEIU “also represent[s] American-born workers, legal residents.” Beck and Baker then excoriated Medina for acknowledging the presence of undocumented workers in its membership and attacked SEIU for then engaging in political activity. Baker claimed that “SEIU is knowingly investing millions of dollars from undocumented workers,” and Beck asserted:

Remember SEIU: They are the lead designers of the health care. I mean, they're right in there. I mean, that's according to Barack Obama. He first consults them. And you really think they're not going to cover undocumented workers, illegal aliens in health care? [Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program, 12/2/09]

During the segment, Beck also criticized the Obama administration for not inviting representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to a December 3 employment summit.

Chamber -- self-proclaimed “voice of business” -- supports immigration reform to ease burden on businesses concerned about workforce disruptions

Chamber: “the world's largest business federation” and “the voice of business.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce proclaims itself to be “the world's largest business federation” and “the voice of business.”

“Voice of business” acknowledges “undocumented workers already contributing to our economy.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports immigration reform that “has an earned pathway to legalization for undocumented workers already contributing to our economy.” The chamber has also stated in the past, “The biggest indicator that our system is not working is that there are 12 million undocumented immigrants currently living, and most working, in the United States -- about the same population size as Ohio. The economy is clearly absorbing these workers, as the U.S. employment rate is under five percent.”

Chamber head Donohue: “It is no wonder that we have such a large number of undocumented workers in this country.” In May 2005 testimony supporting comprehensive immigration reform, U.S. Chamber of Commerce president Thomas Donohue discussed “the dilemma of the unauthorized workforce” and stated, “We have an existing situation in which our nation has millions of jobs available, a decreasing workforce relative to the number of openings, and an immigration system that provides no practical legal mechanism for employers and foreign nationals to fill those openings. It is no wonder that we have such a large number of undocumented workers in this country.” Donohue, speaking on behalf of “the world's largest business federation,” went on to describe the makeup of undocumented workers in the U.S. work force:

There is no exact measure, but a recent study put the number of undocumented migrants at about 10.3 million. Of these 10.3 million, about seven million are working -- which is about 5% of the U.S. labor force. In fact, while a large proportion of undocumented women with families are stay-at-home mothers, 92% of undocumented adult (age 18 to 64) men actively participate in the workforce. These undocumented migrants are here, working hard, and paying taxes.

NY Times: Chamber members “had to call for legalizing illegal workers without admitting they employed any in their own work sites.” A June 29, 2007, New York Times article reported, “While the defeat of the Senate immigration bill was a dismaying disappointment to illegal immigrants and the groups that support them, it also created major worries for employers across the country who depend on immigrant workers.” The Times further reported, “The setback was more significant for the employers, who were represented by the American Chamber of Commerce and the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition. Supporting the bill was a tricky proposition for many employers, and their advocacy remained muted through the debate. They had to call for legalizing illegal workers without admitting they employed any in their own work sites."

Chamber represents businesses in industries that employ undocumented workers

Chamber represents members in hotel, restaurant, manufacturing, and construction industries. In his May 2005 congressional testimony, Donohue stated:

The Chamber represents members from all industries and employers of workers at all levels. We consistently hear from Chamber members across the country that workforce availability issues are among their top priorities. Members in the restaurant, hotel, health care, manufacturing, construction, and many other predominantly service industries, have asked the Chamber for help in finding policy resolutions that will allow them to hire and retain the “essential workers” that keep our economy running. Immigration must remain, as it has been throughout our history, a tool to fulfill the demands of our growing economy.

For many of these reasons, nearly six years ago, the Chamber helped found the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition (EWIC). EWIC is a coalition of businesses, trade associations, and other organizations from across the industry spectrum concerned with the shortage of lesser skilled (“essential worker”) workers and impediments in current immigration law to addressing that shortage.

Unauthorized migrants make up significant portion of work force in these industries. According to a 2006 report by the Pew Hispanic Center, “unauthorized migrants” (a group largely composed of undocumented immigrants) constitute substantial portions of the work force in several industries that Donohue said were affected by “the shortage of lesser skilled ... workers and impediments in current immigration law to addressing that shortage.” According to Pew, in 2005, unauthorized migrants were 10 percent of the hotel industry work force; 12 percent of the work force in the food services industry; 14, 13, 12, and 6 percent of the food, furniture, textile, and other manufacturing industry work forces, respectively; and 12 percent of the construction industry work force.

Chamber supported granting “currently working undocumented aliens a legal status with work authorization.” In his May 2005 testimony, Donohue supported “comprehensive” immigration reform and called for "[c]reating a program that allows hard working, tax paying undocumented workers to earn legal status." Donohue approvingly noted President Bush's “call for the promotion of compassion in a program that would grant currently working undocumented aliens a legal status with work authorization.”

Chamber also engages in political activity, opposing numerous progressive policies

Chamber contributed more than $144,000 to candidates in 2008. During the 2008 election cycle, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee donated $144,576 to House and Senate candidates.

Chamber opposes progressive policies including health care reform and cap and trade. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce opposes the House and Senate health care reform bills, minimum wage adjustments, the Employee Free Choice Act, and the American Clean Energy and Security Act.