(Washington, D.C., September 11, 2006) - In May, the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration bill which would secure our borders, create a guest worker program and hold those who intentionally break immigration laws accountable. Rather than enter into a conference committee in order to negotiate the differences with its bill, the House of Representatives held a series of field hearings throughout the U.S. during August. Those hearings highlighted the House's approach to enforcement-only immigration legislation with no provision for a guest worker program.

Upon arriving back in Washington, House leaders announced that they would draft and pass new legislation based on the information gathered during the August field hearings. Although the details are not yet finalized, it was emphasized that the legislation would focus only on enforcement and may include increased employer sanctions, a mandated employment verification system, deputizing local police and sheriffs to enforce immigration laws and enhanced worksite inspections.

Congress must hear from hoteliers immediately before a final bill is drafted. They must understand that enforcement alone will not solve our dysfunctional immigration system nor will it secure our borders. An effective solution must:

• Increase security at our borders
• Create a new temporary worker program matching an employer with a willing foreign worker when no U.S. workers can be found.
• Include a workable way to deal with the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants working in the U.S.
• Establish an efficient and reliable worksite enforcement mechanism

AH&LA has closely worked with other business groups through the Essential Workers Immigration Coaliton (EWIC) which AH&LA cofounded. We invite you to add your name to the letter below which will be sent to the leaders of the House and Senate.PLEASE CONTACT SHAWN MCBURNEY AT SMCBURNEY@AHLA.COM IMMEDIATELY TO ADD YOUR HOTEL OR ORGANIZATION NAME - DEADLINE IS 4 P.M. (EASTERN TIME) MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11.

In addition, we urge you to contact your representatives in Washington in pressing for comprehensive immigration reform, using thisSample Letter.

AH&LA's governmental affairs department has been a leader on advocating comprehensive immigration reform, but the grassroots support of hoteliers is a critical part of helping members of Congress recognize the importance of this approach. To strengthen AH&LA's lobbying efforts, all hoteliers should immediately contact their U.S. Representative and Senators at www.ahla.com/grassroots and urge them to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

For more information, contact AH&LA Vice President for Governmental Affairs Shawn McBurney at 202-289-3123 or smcburney@ahla.com.

EWIC Essential Worker Immigration Coalition
______________________________________________________________________________

The Honorable Dennis Hastert
Speaker of the House
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. Speaker:

As the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition ("EWIC"), we write to voice our concern regarding the pursuit of an enforcement only approach to reform our broken immigration system. The business community continues to support a comprehensive approach. We have opposed an enforcement only package that includes additional employer mandates such as increased employer sanctions and worksite enforcement measures. These measures should be proposed in the context of a comprehensive piece of legislation; enforcement alone is not prudent nor responsive to our country's needs. This approach does not provide a long term solution and does not address the current undocumented population, nor does it create a guest worker program in response to our nation's economic and national security needs. EWIC urges leadership to return to consideration of comprehensive immigration reform and calls on Congress to deal with the real underlying problem: a dysfunctional immigration system that does not reflect economic reality.

We have the opportunity to meaningfully and responsibly reform our immigration policies in a way that would enhance our nation's security, protect our economy, and continue our heritage as a country of immigrants. We urge leadership to not abandon a comprehensive solution and call upon you to work on this important national issue in its entirety.

Sincerely,