Fine Employers of Illegal Immigrants

Americans want immigration laws enforced. That means getting serious about controlling the border. But employers, too, must be prohibited from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.

In Bush's presidential address to the nation on the topic of immigration reform and border security, he requested a legalization initiative which calls for "the ability to apply for citizenship for those who can show a history and 'roots' in the United States, payment of a penalty for violation of immigration laws, payment of taxes and show a record of employment and an ability to speak English."

Most likely, applicants would be expected "to have to provide a two to five year history of presence in the United States, a clean criminal record, proof of tax payments, and payment of penalties in line with current penalties paid for visa overstays in the amount of $1,000."

Processing naturalization applications will take time and force applicants to wait their turn with respect to persons who "played by the rules and followed the law." Waiting periods for legal immigrants vary dramatically based on whether they are sponsored by a spouse (three year wait), family member (five year wait), or even longer for normal consular processing and/or labor certification.

No Amnesty
Illegal immigrants who broke the law should not get away scot free.


Employer Accountability
Let's pay -- as a reward -- a percentage of fines collected from employers who knowingly hired undocumented workers. To receive a reward, illegal immigrants would be required to submit accurate and detailed records of their employment history. The reward money could be used to help people return home.