LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- America could bolster its economy by enacting immigration laws that would allow temporary worker status to those already living in the United States illegally, the U.S.  commerce secretary said Monday.

There already are a number of jobs nationwide going unfilled because American citizens either aren’t available or don’t want them, Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said. Foreign workers could fill those jobs, strengthening the economy, Gutierrez said.

“Immigration is probably the domestic social issue of our time,” Gutierrez said. “And a very important part of how we go forward and how we’re going to manage our economy in the future, and what we do today will have a significant impact on our country, on our economy in 10, 20, 30 years.”

Gutierrez was in Louisville to address an annual meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference. The organization represents 16 southern states and is part of the Council of State Governments.

A native of Cuba, Gutierrez said the United State could use its experience in handling immigrants to assimilate them into the work force.

Countries such as Germany, Japan and China are facing future population declines, and are using immigration as a way to fill jobs and maintain their economies, he said. The U.S. “can stand out from the past” by doing a better job with immigration than its global competitors, Gutierrez said.

“We have the advantage that we have dealt with immigration for over 230 years and we should be able to deal with this wave of immigration in a very successful and effective manner as we have done in the past,” Gutierrez said.

There are an estimated 12 million immigrants illegally living in America.

President Bush has urged Congress to enact a temporary worker program that would allow some to remain. His plan also calls for states to voluntarily send up to 6,000 National Guard troops to the Mexican border to help stem the flow of illegal immigrants entering the country.

Kentucky has committed to sending up to 670 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexican border this summer, primarily to work on roads and fencing.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

APTV-07-31-06 1436EDT