I am a small business owner and have recently signed up for E-verify (the instant check to screen out illegals.) It’s incredibly easy, takes about an hour to go through the online training, takes about a minute to check a new hire, and the rules are simple. Now, in my business (EMS education) there aren’t too many illegal immigrants who would apply, but if I can add that simple step to my employment process, every other employer can, too. I think the real reason the government doesn’t mandate this step (along with getting the I-9 form, a W-4, etc.) is that if all those illegals can’t be employed, they aren’t paying Social Security to phony accounts. Our own Idaho senator, Larry Craig, is pushing for this illegal immigrant amnesty added to the Iraq spending bill, because local farmers can’t get Americans to do the work. So, do we allow illegals to have amnesty only if they are filling a need for farmers, hotels, and meat packing plants? I would much prefer streamlining the legalization process than give lawbreakers a free pass just because we want cheap produce. Huddled masses from all over the world deserve the chance at the American Dream, not just our southern neighbors.
