Texas retailers, restaurants, hotels and farmers say they need immigration reform to continue to expand their operations.
A coalition of trade groups launched a coordinated effort Monday morning to get more low-skilled workers.
Members include the Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Association of Retailers, Texas Hotel and Lodging Association and the South Texas Property Rights Association.
The group wants to create a legal status for workers already in the country.
They will join the Partnership for a New American Economy, a non-partisan group that lobbies to streamline the U.S. immigration.
Immigration is one of the most important issues to Republican voters in Texas, and some Republican candidates have taken a hard line against illegal immigration. They also oppose programs to grant a path to citizenship to immigrants in the country illegally.
