A state lawmaker and others active in border issues plan to ask voters to punish employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and force police to question people they stop about whether they're here legally.If the Arizona Legislature cannot pass reasonable laws why should a legislator turn such issues into a public initiative.
Making employers responsible for 'knowingly' taking actions that are illegal usually makes sense. The problem with it in this case is that, although some immigrant documentation is straightforward, some forms are not and a small business is in no position to do more that look at the many forms of immigrant ID that comes across their desk and do the best they can with it. It would be much more constructive, a form of governance that Republicans eschew, to hold all employers responsible for paying all their employees legally (as in reporting wages, withholding appropriate taxes, etc.). If employers, and their employees, knew there would be regular audits to ensure all employees wages were being properly reported with the appropriate withholding and valid Social Security numbers it would be much more difficult for illegal immigrants to hide. Making the employer an enforcer of immigration law is a disservice to everyone.
The suggestion that the police be required to ask 'people they stop' about their immigrant status is another idiot suggestion. Really what TV show did Rep. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa) pop out of?
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Link: Employers, entrants targeted in 2 initiatives by Howard Fischer
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