The illegal immigration problem has been a prime issue the conservatives rail against. The conservative movement has used this issue to ignite a wave of hate against the hispanic community and instill fear in the america public. They are proponents of spending hundreds of millions of dollars to build higher and longer walls and increase the number of agents on the US-Mexico border. The conservatives are also proponents of maintaining the status quo when it comes to the companies and corporations that hire these illegal immigrants.
The penalty for hiring illegal immigrants is minor compared to the harsh treatment of an immigrant often ripped from his family and jailed awaiting a hearing and deportation. Deporting the estimated 10 million plus illegal immigrants is unrealistic
The current penalties are as follows:
There are civil and criminal penalties for hiring illegal aliens. Sec. 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and 8 U.S.C. 1324a, makes it unlawful for any person knowingly to hire, recruit or refer for a fee any alien not authorized to work. An employer that violates these laws can face penalties of:
· $250 to $2,000 fine for each unauthorized individual;
· $2,000 to $5,000 for each employee if the employer has previously been in violation; or
· $3,000 to $10,000 for each individual if the employer was subject to more than one cease and desist order.
The employer could also be fined $100 to $1,000 for each individual “paperwork” violation.
The criminal penalties for a pattern and practice violation can be up to $3,000 for each unauthorized alien, imprisonment up to six months, or both.
A recent study found this:
A new study by Rajeev Goyle and David A. Jaeger for the Center for American Progress in Washington calculates the cost of mass deportation to be at least $206 billion over five years. The annual cost of $41 billion would exceed the entire budget of the Department of Homeland Security ($34.2 billion) and would be more than double the annual spending on border and transportation security ($19.3 billion).
The only way to stem the tide of illegal immigration is to make the penalties to employers so repugnant that they will go to great lengths to make sure they are hiring properly documented workers. If there are no jobs available for illegal immigrants than they won’t have a reason to cross the border.
I suggest we stop the focus on the immigrant and place it on the employers that hire them. Here are some penalty suggestions to stem the tide of illegal immigration:
$5,000 and 6 months mandatory jail time on the first conviction. ( Business principal or CEO would serve the time )
$10,000 and 3 years mandatory prison time and forfeiture of business property and equipment on the second conviction. ( Business principal or CEO would serve the time )
$250,000 and 15 years mandatory prison time and forfeiture of business property and equipment on the third conviction. ( Business principal or CEO would serve the time )
This would also have the added benefit of creating jobs for US Citizens and increasing tax revenue and lowering the deficit. The problem is, you won’t see a conservative touting a measure that would actually stem the tide of illegal workers. It would cut into the profits of the companies and corporations that support them. They would rather just hurl hate and lies and make you fear a minority rather than solve the problem they rail against.
Sources:
Christian Science Monitor
Penalties for employing undocumented workers