Idaho businesses call for immigration reform

A coalition of business leaders met in Boise Wednesday to call for “meaningful” immigration reform.

President Barack Obama is expected to unveil his immigration reform plan Thursday, and and agriculture industry leaders say they have a lot riding on it.

Citing a report by the University of Idaho, the Farm Bureau’s John Thompson said as many as 80 percent of Idaho’s dairy workers could be here illegally.

“We think the workers need to be put on a path toward citizenship if they can show a reliable work history and no criminal activity in their background,” said Thompson.