Senate Republicans have introduced a bill to require E-Verify technology for businesses nationwide in an effort to combat illegal immigration. This bill, supported by Senators Romney, Cotton, Cassidy, Lankford, and Vance, would mandate that employers verify the eligibility of prospective employees to work in the U.S. prior to hiring them. The lawmakers argue that this measure would eliminate a key incentive for illegal immigration by ensuring that businesses only hire legal workers. This move comes in response to President Biden’s executive order aimed at limiting asylum, which some believe is insufficient in addressing the ongoing border crisis.
Under Biden’s executive order, non-citizen entries across the southern border would be temporarily suspended once the average number of border encounters reaches 2,500 people per day for seven consecutive days. The suspension would remain in effect until there have been less than 1,500 encounters at the border on average for two weeks. However, Republican senators argue that this measure is not enough to address the widespread illegal employment that fuels illegal immigration. By requiring all employers to use E-Verify, they believe that jobs will be protected for hardworking Americans and that illegal immigration will be effectively curbed.
Senator Cotton emphasizes that American workers are competing against millions of illegal immigrants for limited job opportunities, which he deems as unfair. The implementation of E-Verify, according to him, will ensure that every potential employer is hiring legal workers only, thus creating more job opportunities for Americans. Meanwhile, Senator Cassidy underscores the importance of E-Verify in both controlling immigration and protecting American jobs. The proposed Republican bill includes increased penalties for violations related to employment paperwork and unauthorized hiring, with a phased-in implementation over 18 months to accommodate smaller businesses.
Overall, the Republican senators’ push for mandatory E-Verify technology is part of a broader effort to address the challenges posed by illegal immigration. By requiring businesses to verify the eligibility of prospective employees before hiring them, the lawmakers believe that a significant incentive for illegal immigration will be removed. In contrast to President Biden’s executive order, which seeks to limit asylum to address the border crisis, the senators argue that a more comprehensive approach is needed to tackle the issue of illegal employment. The proposed legislation aims to protect American jobs and ensure that businesses are employing legal workers, thereby contributing to a more secure and controlled immigration system.
