Schwarzenegger plans immigration forum as D.C. leaders debate plan

As a bipartisan group of leaders in Washington prepare to unveil a landmark immigration bill, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is planning to host a forum at USC focused on the matter that features significant players in the debate.

Among the speakers scheduled to participate in the April 30 summit are former Mexican President Vicente Fox, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

[For the record, 8:45 a.m., April 16: A previous version of this post misspelled Mexican President Vicente Fox’s last name as Vincente.]

“Reforming our broken immigration process demands action,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement to The Times. “I’m excited to host this forum during a critical time in the immigration debate and believe we have an opportunity to elevate the issue above partisan differences.”

The event will take place as elected leaders in Washington are deliberating over how to deal with the nation’s immigration system.

The so-called “Gang of Eight” – a bipartisan group of senators drafting the immigration-reform proposal – had planned to release their plan on Tuesday but delayed the unveiling because of the tragedy at the Boston Marathon on Monday. Still, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and McCain are supposed to brief President Obama about the bill’s elements today.

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Twitter: @LATSeema