Bloomberg will join Rupert Murdoch later in the evening to continue discussing immigration reform. (Center for American Progress)

At a meeting for the Economic Club of Chicago, Bloomberg appeared alongside former White House Chief of Staff William M. Daley to discuss the economic impact of immigration and a political sidestepping of both Obama and Romney on the issue.

From the NY Times:

“Neither candidate is talking about immigration reform,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “But there is no way to help the economy as quickly and as cost-free as opening the borders to create jobs and create business.”

“Around the world, people want to move to America, and they vote with their feet,” Mr. Daley added. “The world wants to come here, and we need them to come here.”

Currently, immigrant-owned businesses have continued to help drive the economy, even in the recession. The Partnership for a New American Economy reported immigrant-owned businesses employ one in 10 U.S. workers and account for $775 billion of revenue. The group, comprised of bipartisan mayors and business leaders, said immigrants produce $125 billion in payroll, according to the SF Chronicle. Immigrants are also twice as likely to start a business as native citizens, forming 550 new businesses per month for every 100,000 immigrants. The report said the native-born rate only produces 270 new business for every 100,000.

Bloomberg presented the findings of the report at Tuesday's breakfast and is expected to join one of the group's founders, Rupert Murdoch in Boston later that evening.

Bloomberg's policy toward immigration favors immigrants with an aptitude for science, math and entrepreneurship, calling for all foreign-born graduates of master's or doctoral programs in science, technology, engineering or math at U.S. universities to receive green cards. He also advocates giving green cards to foreign-born entrepreneurs backed by American venture capitalists to help build and develop their ideas on U.S. soil. The mayor calls any sort of restrictive immigration laws a form of "national suicide." 

His policies extend to the agricultural and hospitality industries, allowing both to temporarily contract foreign workers for the jobs others are hesitant to pursue.

As Bloomberg met in Chicago, the headquarters of the Obama campaign, the president focused his campaign on the swing state of Iowa. Later in the evening, Bloomberg is expected to head to Boston, home of the Romney headquarters, to continue discussing immigration. Meanwhile, Romney pursued his campaign in swing state Ohio.

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