WASHINGTON — Congress is getting ready once again to tackle immigration reform, and Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, once again finds himself in the thick of it.

Cannon is co-sponsor of the Agricultural Jobs, Benefits and Security Act, a bill re-introduced this week that is intended to reform immigration and reinforce national security. The bill would provide temporary legal status for illegal immigrants with American agricultural jobs, thereby providing workers for U.S. farmers and providing the government with a list of the immigrants and where they are.

Workers who followed stringent guidelines could earn citizenship status after several years.

Cannon believes that illegal immigrants perform a valuable economic service in the American economy, doing menial jobs that Americans won't do.

"There will be a 15 million-worker shortfall when people of my generation retire," Cannon said during a debate last year. "It just so happens there are that many surplus workers in Mexico and other countries who can help pay for our retirement system."

Cannon's call for immigration reform has made him a national target for some special-interest groups that say it is tantamount to amnesty, something that could cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Cannon has adamantly denied the bill offers any amnesty to illegal immigrants.

The issue was a major one in the primary election last year. Republican Matt Throckmorton opposed Cannon on the immigration issue. Cannon easily defeated Throckmorton, but the attacks on Cannon's immigration policies have continued unabated.

Immigration promises to be a major issue on Capitol Hill this year. The House has already passed a bill that would, if passed by the Senate, greatly limit the ability of states to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Utah currently allows that practice.

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