Panel tackles Tennessee immigration reform

Nashville Business Journal
January 26, 2011

A group of state representatives and business leaders wrestled with the impacts of proposed Arizona-style immigration reform on economic development in Tennessee at a panel discussion Tuesday afternoon.

The panel was presented by the Nashville Business Journal, and attracted about 80 attendees.

Panelist Ralph Schulz, president of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, said Arizona-style legislation may be detrimental to work force development and international trade efforts in Tennessee.

Schulz cited a recent study that found Nashville would have shortage of 24,000 workers by 2019.

“When there is an imbalance of workforce… jobs start to move away,â€