Zuckerberg launches immigration reform advocacy group

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is joining with top Silicon Valley CEOs to launch a political advocacy group called FWD.us that, among other things, will urge lawmakers to pass immigration reform.

Politico reports that Linkedin co-founder Reid Hoffman and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer are among the group's major contributors. Former staffers in the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations have joined the group as well.

Before launching FWD.us, Zuckerberg had dipped a toe into politics when he donated $100 million to the struggling school system in Newark, N.J. He also held a fundraiser for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, in February.

High-profile techies have argued that the current legal immigration system does not allow them to attract and retain high-skilled immigrants from around the world. In March, executives from Facebook, Google, eBay and dozens more tech companies sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to add more visas for high-tech workers.