Senate considers new tool to prevent illegal immigrants from working amidst ongoing border crisis.
Senate Republicans have taken a significant step by proposing legislation that aims to mandate E-Verify technology for businesses nationwide to address the issue of hiring illegal immigrants, particularly in light of the crisis at the southern border.
Sen. Mitt Romney, along with Sens. Tom Cotton, Bill Cassidy, James Lankford, and JD Vance, introduced the bill requiring employers to verify the eligibility of potential employees to work in the U.S. before hiring them.
The lawmakers believe that implementing E-Verify technology across the country will help eliminate a major incentive for illegal immigration. By making it mandatory for all employers to use E-Verify, the legislation aims to ensure that businesses only hire legal workers, ultimately discouraging illegal immigration and safeguarding jobs for American citizens.
President Biden’s executive order seeks to temporarily halt non-citizen entries at the southern border once the average number of border encounters surpasses 2,500 people per day over seven days, with the suspension remaining in place until there have been fewer than 1,500 encounters for two consecutive weeks.
According to Sen. Cotton, American workers currently face unfair competition from millions of illegal immigrants for a limited number of jobs. Ending the underground market for illegal labor will create opportunities for American workers, and the proposed legislation aims to ensure that every employer hires only legal workers.
Sen. Cassidy emphasized the importance of E-Verify in protecting both employees and employers, highlighting it as a crucial tool in managing immigration and preserving jobs for Americans.
The Republican bill also includes provisions to increase penalties for individuals who violate employment paperwork regulations or employ unauthorized workers. However, the enforcement of these measures would be phased in over an 18-month period to allow smaller businesses to comply with the new requirements.
