The federal government is pushing immigration reform in Austin.

U.S. Commerce Deputy Secretary David Sampson met with area business leaders Monday to push President Bush's platform to control illegal immigration.

One concern for business owners is the access to skilled workers who can claim legal status.

"The president's proposal for comprehensive reform would allow willing workers to be matched with willing employers in an above-ground economy so that we would know who was coming into our country and employers would know that these potential employees are legally eligible to work here," Sampson said.

Some employers say that argument doesn't wash because the workers could only stay temporarily before going back home.

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	Immigration policy The Deputy U.S. Commerce Secretary was in Austin Monday to push the president's immigration plan.

The issue has grown over time and it will take a lot of input from other government officials and the private sector to reform immigration laws, Sampson said.

"This is a problem of illegal immigration that has grown up over decades and it's not going to be solved overnight. Anyone who tells you that they can solve it overnight is not being honest with you," Sampson said.

Other measures Sampson discussed were allowing illegal immigrants to apply for legal status only if they pay off back taxes, requiring foreign workers to carry a new kind of ID that's fake-proof and granting illegal immigrants the chance to apply for citizenship if they've been in the U.S. for many years.