Barack Obama urged to reject tying immigration reform to border security

"We can fix what's wrong right now and prevent what's wrong from driving down the wages of everybody else," Trumka said.

Details of a new guest worker program must still be worked out, bu labor unions are eager to help shape a program to benefit their members, said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, an advocacy group immigration reform.

"The good news is that labor is united and wanting immigration reform. That was not the case a few years ago," Sharry said.