If legislators really wanted to reduce illegal immigration they would also go after the demand, implementing tougher penalties against those who hire illegal immigrants^^ or outsource to companies that do. Of course, this will never happen as the walmarts, mcdonalds, big tech corps^, etc will never allow it because surely their costs would go up and so would their prices.
Edit: ^ work at a big tech company? A decent percentage of the janitors and cooks are illegal (and, for the record, are not just Hispanic)
But then, of course, in a global economy, cutting the influx of illegal immigrants (and immigration in general) would lead to more jobs shipped north/south/overseas.
So in the end, many of these legislators are really just pandering and contributing to the fear-mongering here and everywhere as people are, in many cases, naturally xenophobic.
What are employers supposed to do to avoid hiring illegals? As far as i'm aware, anything beyond "hey, this looks like a crude forgery brown guy" is a discrimination lawsuit in the making.
I have one idea how to get employers to help - offer them amnesty against both penalties and racial discrimination lawsuits if they turn in their illegal workers. We can even reduce disruption to the business by replacing the illegal workers with (currently) unemployed Americans.
I.e., to replace an illegal, select an American currently receiving unemployment. Tell the American that a job has been found for him and terminate his unemployment benefits. We kill two birds with one stone this way.
And in fact, companies that hire illegal immigrants benefit greatly from stricter immigration enforcement; the more pressure from the state that's applied to immigrants, the
easier it is for employers to lower their pay, subject them to dangerous and harsh conditions, and occasionally even refuse to compensate them altogether. If they refuse, ICE will deport their families.
If we cared about human rights, we should flip the situation on its head and impose heavy (in the 6 or 7 figure range) fines for hiring undocumented workers. If any of the workers are mistreated they should be able to turn in their employer.
That will give the workers an upper hand and would prevent them from being taken advantage of. Now the employer can live in fear of being exposed.
Yes, and we all end up paying the indirect costs of this cheap labor because, as is well-publicized, most of these people won't have health insurance so premiums, medical costs, Medicaid costs, etc go up.
Edit: ^ work at a big tech company? A decent percentage of the janitors and cooks are illegal (and, for the record, are not just Hispanic)
Edit2: ^^Including themselves--because they do.
edit3: (sorry I was on my smartphone before). If the supply of jobs for illegal immigrants goes down, so does their influx. It's true in the US--and it's true in Europe and it's true in Asia: http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1247156221.99/ http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/01/93137/recession-enforc...
But then, of course, in a global economy, cutting the influx of illegal immigrants (and immigration in general) would lead to more jobs shipped north/south/overseas.
So in the end, many of these legislators are really just pandering and contributing to the fear-mongering here and everywhere as people are, in many cases, naturally xenophobic.