Lawmakers are wrestling with the fate of more than 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. What happens in Washington will impact an estimated 400,000 illegal immigrants in Houston.

Carmelo Mauro struggled to open his Italian restaurant 25 years ago after he immigrated to the U.S. with little money in his pocket. Today, he counts on other immigrants to keep his business going.

"It's the people that have made Carmelo's. Carmelo is just a name," said Mauro.

In all, immigrant workers make up 99-percent of his staff. He says if it wasn't for them, his business would be doomed.

"We would close the doors and go and sell coconuts somewhere on the sides of the roads," said Mauro. That may sound extreme to some but to Mauro, incoming president of the Texas Restaurant Association, it is a real threat.

The U.S. Senate will debate a broad variety of proposals that range from granting permanent residency or citizenship to the millions of undocumented workers to making it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally.

"That would be a tragedy. If we wouldn't have the painters and if we don't have people putting our roofs there would be so many industries that would falter," said Mauro.

"This is a very complicated issue," said Jeff Moseley, President & CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership.

Moseley represents thousands of businesses across the Houston area. He believes a broad range of companies would suffer without the immigrants' contributions.

"We also look at a bill that is thoughtful and it recognizes the contributions made by undocumented workers," said Moseley.

That includes workers like Cristino Reyes who left El Salvador in search for a better life. And together with the help of each other, these immigrants have achieved it.