There should be no excuse to not install a nationwide mandatory system of worker identification. My suggestion is that–ALL-I-9′s should be copied and a duplicates sent to a Homeland Security Clearing House? Creating such an office would be a simple affair, if our state and federal government would be more beneficial to the working American male and female. If our government is sincere in securing our borders, and introducing new immigration enforcement tools, then E-Verify will become the final deterrent and not be weakened by Sen Harry Reid and his administration. I have made a point of speaking to a few business human resources departments, and found most are enthusiastic about the use of Verify. Only 1 of the 6 companies that I investigated determined some false negatives” and “false positives. But they always have a backup system of contacting the Social Security agency nearest to them, until the irregularities are resolved.

All that remains is citizens and legal residents to stop the Obama people from throwing a wrench in the cogs and stopping any technological advancement with E-Verify. E-Verify can be used on a universal level in checking bogus drivers license applications, auto insurance, home purchase, health care and other personal data. It would certainly alleviate the kidnapping of social service programs by the 20 to 30 illegal immigrants in America. It would displace foreign nationals so down-trodden legal single mums with children, homeless vets, senior citizens and even students could get employment. It all depends on all of us to contact our Representative in Washington at 202-224-3121. Tell them you don’t want half measures by full permanent implementation? NO MORE DRAGGING THEIR FEET? Tell them your remember them on next election day. YOU ALSO WANT AN END TO ANOTHER AMNESTY.

Don’t let them distract you, but repeat your demands without hesitation to these open border jerks. Invest a little time and check what your politicians are doing to our immigration enforcement safeguard at NUMBERSUSA. Read about the consequences of future OVERPOPULATION at WEBCAPS and our collapsing infrastructure, that has been ignored for decades nationwide. Last read factual information at JUDICIAL WATCH that discloses the lawmakers, that are running the country for themselves, friends and business associates. ITS ALL FREE. Read that some of the White House Czars are not true Democrats, but are shadowed by their past Liberal Marxist backgrounds.

All employers in the US are currently required to collect and keep on file an I-9 form (proof of permission to work in the US) for ALL employees. Make the enforcement against the employers NOT the illegal immigrants. Institute very heavy fines against the companies or even threat of jail time against the employers. Why do these raids happen and there are no consequences for the employers? When it becomes more expensive to risk hiring illegal employees than it is to raise the wages and improve working conditions sufficiently to attract legal employees, the companies will comply with the law. The jobs will only be offered to legal workers. The illegal immigrants will go home.

Yes, wages and costs of doing business will go up which will cause prices to go up. But then the artificial skewing of implementing a minimum wage will become unnecessary. Supply and demand will balance out the wages at a higher level. The unfettered market place works. If the supply of workers is still too low to fulfill all requirements and the wages appear to be going up above what is good for the economy (as indicated by inflationary pressures), the government can open up a TEMPORARY worker program to more workers. If the enforcement of laws against employers is maintained, the temporary employees will go home after expiration of their work visas because there are no jobs available to them.

Illegal aliens are difficult to find and the government is accused of racial profiling. Employers are easy to find and there will be no accusations of racial profiling as the policy is the same for all employers. Collect and maintain the I-9 forms along with copies of the documents which validate an individual’s right to work in the US or face very heavy fines and/or jail time.

“How is this humane to people who try the legal route to US citizenship?”

It can be a difficult dilemma. But illegal immigration doesn’t interfere with legal immigration. One goes through the holes and the other one follows a process. I don’t support illegal immigration, but you can’t just throw 12+ million people out. Call me wrong, but call me humane.

“Options for illegal immigrants:

Legal option:
1. Deport them
2. Fine employer

Humane option:
1. Research for criminal records (CR)
2. CR positive: deport them
3. CR negative: initiate immigration process

What’s so hard about this?”

Judging EVERYONE by the same standard, what’s so hard about that?

I am pleasantly surprised and want to thank you. While I don’t necessarily agree with all aspects of your piece, I appreciate the change in tone fron previous illegal immigration articles and the lack of name calling of those that may not share your point of view.

A few additional comments:

1) You decide to start with a “straw-man” argument with your title about raids and cure-alls. Who really thinks that workplace illegal immigration raids are a cure-all on it’s own?? E-verify, fines for employers and illegal immigrants, workplace visits, less byzantine immigration process for LEGAL immigrants, etc, are all part of an OVERALL CURE-ALL.

2) You may want to link to a “myth” that is more updated than 1996. I would think that the annual inflow from all illegal immigrants (whether they overstayed visas or came North) is more than 300,000.

3) You pick one plant, but don’t provide full information. Was there a retention problem before the immigration raid? Did working conditions get better after the raid or did management let them slip?

4) If you believe that the working conditions are not good enough for Americans, why would you want illegal immigrants to be subjected to sub-standard conditions?

Again, no insults or name calling is a good idea.

Does this mean that these employers are paying less than minimum wage? Hopefully not, but still. Because these jobs suck, are nasty, and otherwise are not something to be proud about, maybe they SHOULD pay more. I wouldn’t mind if the price of chicken went up $1 per pound just to know that American citizens were the ones who processed it.

We must face the facts, here. Illegal immigration of poorly-educated Latinos is a major cause of the decline of California. These folks do not share our values and they do not wish to integrate and become Americans, by and large. They bring their culture and their beliefs and try to impose them upon the real Americans. And then, if we try to preserve our culture and ways of life, we are labelled as racist. How about anti-Latino ProAmerican culturalist? That’s me. I’m not a racist, but I am an American who would like to preserve our inherently superior culture. I don’t want my town turning from Lexington to Mexington.

Some really prescient comments here: “…it sounds like he wanted near slave labor where dorms and transportation are provided. He would not offer these things if he also offered a wage where the workers could pay to rent or buy their own houses and cars.” Exactly. The cheapest labor possible. As long as it’s not called slavery.

Another: “Employers like to hire illegals because they work cheap, but also because they will tolerate treatment and working conditions that no American would put up with.” Bilgeman, once again, hits it on the head. But, sir, would you be willing to pay another dollar or two per pound of chicken or beef? I would…

6. MarkD: “When you tolerate contempt for the law, you get more contempt for the law.” The problem is that “sanctuary cities” are actively promoting contempt for the law. So are Democrats and other idiots. Here’s how I think it should be dealt with: If an illegal is caught, all of his assets are relinquished to the state where he is caught before he is deported. If an illegal is put in jail, he is immediately deported to Mexican authorities and placed in a Mexican jail. If an illegal who does not have medical insurance shows up at an emergency room, his assets are forfeited to the state and he is deported as soon as possible to a Mexican hospital and all expenses not covered by his assets are charged to the Mexican government. It’s not our responsibility to provide medical care to citizens of other nations.

8. Jack Okie: “Illegal immigrants come here because a job in a slaughterhouse is a better opportunity than is available in Mexico, Guatemala, etc.” I don’t exactly understand this with consideration to NAFTA. Shouldn’t they all be happy where they are? Didn’t NAFTA free everything up? Why are the Mexicans still lagging so far behind? I got an answer that Mr. Navarette won’t like: It’s either the culture or the race. It’s that simple…

9. aclay1: “Finally a piece on immigration from Mr Navarrette that isn’t total hogwash.” I’m with you. This is the first article that he’s written here that doesn’t entirely suck.

regards