State Senator Bill Brady says it's essential to a healthy economy. He made his remarks during the Hispanic Business Expo Breakfast at Navy Pier Friday.
Brady told reporters he does not support amnesty for those who came to the U.S. illegally, but more immigrants need to be allowed into the country.
"If we're gonna grow as a nation, we're not going to do it on birthrates, we're going to have to do it as we did in the beginning, through legal immigration policies that start with securing the borders," Brady said. "It continues with us reforming our policies at a national level, and it then means opening the door, so we can have more legal immigration in this country."
Governor Quinn's campaign says Brady is inconsistent on the issue of immigration.
Quinn also spoke at the Hispanic Business Expo.
ABC 7's Stacy Baca was the emcee.
