Zuckerberg Announces Immigration Reform Advocacy Group

Introducing Fwd.us, however that might be pronounced

Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg announced the creation of an advocacy group called Fwd.us to lobby for immigration changes, higher academic standards and investments in scientific research.

The group is backed by technology entrepreneurs and investors, including John Doerr at venture-capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and LinkedIn Corp. CEO Reid Hoffman, according to the Fwd.us site. The organization has offices in Silicon Valley and Washington.

The move injects Zuckerberg, 28, into a contentious debate over immigration policy. Congress is discussing whether to open a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the country, even as some lawmakers call for stricter border control. Fwd.us supports helping undocumented workers become citizens and is calling for an increase in H-1B visas, a program favored by the technology industry that let skilled guest workers come to the U.S.