Why Don't We Enforce Laws Against Employing Illegal Immigrants Effectively?

The debate over illegal immigration often centers around a key question: Why, if we are serious about controlling it, don't we pass and implement laws that impose painful penalties on those who hire illegals?

Factors Influencing Enforcement

Two major political parties, Republicans and Democrats, have different perspectives on this issue. Republicans are often pro-business and see cheap labor as a significant advantage. They believe that if there are more jobs than available workers, businesses will compete for them by offering better wages, benefits, and working conditions. However, this can be costly in the long run.

Democrats, on the other hand, believe that illegal immigrants, despite the often poor working conditions, provide an opportunity for these individuals to support themselves and potentially improve their lives. They argue that if employers were to face strict penalties for hiring illegals, these individuals would lose their jobs and the cost of supporting them would be transferred to the government and taxpayers. This has led to a consistent reluctance to enforce existing laws.

Political Incentives and Reciprocality

The real question is, why don't they change the laws or immigration policies to something they would be more likely to enforce? My guess is that bringing in legal immigrants or guest workers might make them more expensive than the current situation. Moreover, the political cost of deporting illegals could be high.

The Role of Legal Framework

While it's true that we have the legal framework in place to control illegal immigration, the issue lies in sparse enforcement. The federal laws that exist include fines, but they are not enough. The current system, including E-Verify, is far from perfect.

E-Verify and Its Limitations

When I run a small business, I hire workers who must fill out a US I-9 form, certifying their ability to work in the US. In my state, I can use E-Verify to verify this eligibility. However, E-Verify is not always accurate. Misidentification due to identity theft, or even honest errors, can lead to high failure rates. Additionally, e-Verify is not mandatory in all areas, leaving employers to rely on self-verification. This system is often biased in favor of the applicant, as denying a job can result in significant fines.

Proposed Solutions

To address these issues, we need a more accurate and mandatory E-Verify system. This system should be free for all employers to use, and the government should validate the I-9 forms themselves. Such a system would significantly reduce the cracks in the current framework, making it easier for employers to be fully compliant with the law.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the failure to effectively enforce laws against employing illegal immigrants is a complex political and economic issue. Addressing it requires not only a legal framework but also political will and an effective, accurate system to verify worker eligibility. By improving the current processes, we can better control illegal immigration and ensure fair labor markets.