CKE Restaurants’ Puzder advocates for immigration reform in Washington

As the immigration debate continues on Capitol Hill and across the country, ImmigrationWorks, a national organization advancing immigration reform that works for all Americans, held an event in Washington D.C. today at the American Enterprise Institute to help lawmakers and voters understand the most important elements for creating a better legal system for the future. Andrew Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, provided insights on how the immigration reform bill would affect American businesses and the consequences of not addressing key issues in the debate.  With 3,300 restaurants throughout 48 states and approximately 70,000 workers employed by Carl’s Jr. and Hardees Restaurants, Puzder believes a bill like the one before Congress would spur economic growth and advance consumption. “A rational, enforceable and practical immigration policy is something that would reinforce the idea that the U.S. is the land of opportunity,” said Puzder. What American businesses like Puzder’s really need is the comfort that a person his restaurants have hired is here legally and that the system for legalization is easier for those involved to understand. “E-verify has been very helpful for businesses who really want to comply with the law,” explained Puzder.  “If we had reform and were able to hire people without concern, we would have a better and more diverse workforce in this country.” According to Puzder, the most important thing is economic growth and businesses have been fighting to survive since 2008.  “A bill like the one before Congress could really be a benefit to the U.S. economy and it would be nice to participate in an economy that was constantly growing,” he said.