USC Schwarzenegger Institute Hosts Immigration Reform Forum

Senator McCain and Former Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger are headling the campus event for immirgation reform.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and USC's Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy hosted a forum on Tuesday on immigration reform. The event featured  prominent political figures, including  former Mexican President Vicente Fox, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

Both McCain and Bennet are part of the so-called "Gang of Eight": a bipartisan group of senators drafting the immigration-reform proposal.

Immigration reform has proved to be a particularly divisive issue in Washington, threatening a new era of bipartisanship.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Schwarzenegger hopes to transcend partisan differences regarding immigration with this forum.  

USC public policy professor Dowell Myers and Gutierrez discussed the importance of immigration at the forum, focusing more specifically on the economy and jobs.

"The fear is that immigrants are a liability & remain newcomers. That's absurd...After 30 years, 60% of immigrants become homeowners in California. California needs to spread the gospel of what it's really like," explained Myers.

Gutierrez went on to explain the positive outcomes of immigration.

"Immigrants come to work, dream, & grow. Their children will become the leaders of our future society...Immigration has a multiplier effect on the economy ... that we don't see so directly," said Guitierrez.

USC professor Pierette Hondagneu-Sotello also added to the discussion on immigration reform.

"We're in a globalized economy; it's not an 'us' vs 'them'. We're all in this together," explained Hondagneu-Sotello.

Both panels were moderated by Ann Compton, a White House correspondent for ABC News Radio.

Fox concluded the event by discussing a more global perspective on U.S. immigration reform moderated by Univision anchor Gabriela Teissier.

The  forum closed with Schwarzeneggar challenging students to embrace immigration reform.

The 3-hour forum can be watched live.