Justices Uphold Law Penalizing Hiring of Illegal Immigrants

[Gerald]

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld an Arizona law that imposes harsh penalties on businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

The 5-to-3 decision amounted to a green light for vigorous state efforts to combat the employment of illegal workers. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts on behalf of the court’s five more conservative members, noted that Colorado, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia had recently enacted laws similar to the one at issue in the case.

The decision did not directly address a second, more recent Arizona law that in some circumstances requires police there to question people they stop about their immigration status. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit blocked enforcement of that law in April, and the case may reach the Supreme Court soon.

The challenge to the older Arizona law that was the subject of Thursday’s decision was brought by a coalition of business and civil liberties groups, with support from the Obama administration. They said the law, the Legal Arizona Workers Act, conflicted with federal immigration policy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/us/27scotus.html?hp


Note: Published: May 26, 2011

[AVGWarhawk]

We do that in the state of MD. We also give money to illegals for college tuition because the parents of said illegal students pay taxes. Well wait a minute..if the illegals are working in MD and paying taxes this means the business owner is subject to arrest. Hmmmm....I just love how the spineless MD governor dances around laws. The great state of MD. Just dumber then a box of rocks. It's more than you can imagine...if you have no imagination at all.

[tater]

The notion that any illegals pay enough taxes to even matter is at best dubious.

I'd bet money that overall illegals pay in less in taxes than they get in benefits, and almost no illegals make enough to pay a "fair share" of the tax burden (a fair share means a per capita share of the total tax revenue per family member).

What I fond most annoying about things like in-state tuition for illegals is that legal citizens from out of state pay more. An illegal is from out f state, they are from out of country. They should never get in-state tuition as they do here in NM.

[Platapus]

This is the way to handle illegal immigration. Punish the American companies that hire them. In other words, enforce the existing laws.

Only if the punishment of American companies does not stem the flow of illegal immigrants, then we can consider adding additional laws.

We need to start holding companies accountable.

[tater]

I agree, platypus, but I still think we should also crack down on border security, AND we need to get rid of all other laws that give aid and succor to illegals—crap like giving them driver's licenses here in NM, or doing anything more than stabilizing them in hospitals, then immediately medivacing them home.

[Platapus]

I would agree. My point is that we need to concentrate on enforcing the existing laws not make new ones.

[vienna]

The laws that do exist are often set up to be non-enforceable. There exists a system called E-Verify by which an employer can confirm the legal status of a prospective employee as regards their legal right to hold employment in the US. However, it is only a voluntary system; employers are not required, by federal law, to use E-Verify. This new decision now allows the states to require, at their level, what should be required on a national level. The main reasons E-Verify was never set up as required on a national level is strong lobbying by certain businesses (hotel chains, restaurant chains, building maintenance, etc.) who want to use cheap labor, unions (like the SEIU) who see the immigrant population as a source of members and dues and thus have become "advocates" for the illegal population, and various other concerns who make rather large business from catering to the illegal community. In California, the republican candidate for governor (Mae Whitman) refused to back a plan to make California law reflect Arizona and other states' efforts to rein in illegal immigration by making it more difficult for illegals to gain employment. Her main argument was E-Verify was not accurate and reliable enough to be used by employers. This website deals with the accuracy of E-Verify:

http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire....-e-verify-cont

The main part of the article is this:

93.8 percent of workers screened by E-Verify were authorized for employment---8212;and the system instantly and accurately confirmed more than 99 percent of these eligible workers.

The remaining 6.2 percent were not eligible for employment. Out of this estimated 6.2 percent, approximately half were told they are work authorized when they were not---8212;just 3.3 percent of the overall population screened by E-Verify.

To be clear, this means that only an estimated 3.3 percent of all workers screened by E-Verify were incorrectly told they were work authorized.

Clearly, a overall 96.7% accuracy rate is pretty good, if not excellent. the portion stating (bolding is done by me):

93.8 percent of workers screened by E-Verify were authorized for employment---8212;and the system instantly and accurately confirmed more than 99 percent of these eligible workers.

demonstrates this is an extremely workable system. The 3.3% mis-identified would be rectified as the system was used more and the errors corrected. This is something that should be mandated nationwide and it is a staggering embarassment that it is not so enforced and that states have to turn to doing so themselves. If I were the states, I would bill the Federal governemnt for the cost of doing the Feds jobs.

[Gerald]

Numbers are great, but the actual document is of course important in the end

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Platapus

This is the way to handle illegal immigration. Punish the American companies that hire them. In other words, enforce the existing laws.

Only if the punishment of American companies does not stem the flow of illegal immigrants, then we can consider adding additional laws.

We need to start holding companies accountable.

Here in MD the companies that are found to have illegals are raided. The issue is human rights activitists crying foul. It brings bad PR on the police department that conducts the raids. Mean old men with big guns taking food away from children by arresting their illegal parents. Business owner losing his business. In the large scheme of things this crime is low on the list at gaining any attention from the police department. For this I agree. There are other more pressing issues for the police department to handle.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by tater

The notion that any illegals pay enough taxes to even matter is at best dubious.

I'd bet money that overall illegals pay in less in taxes than they get in benefits, and almost no illegals make enough to pay a "fair share" of the tax burden (a fair share means a per capita share of the total tax revenue per family member).

What I fond most annoying about things like in-state tuition for illegals is that legal citizens from out of state pay more. An illegal is from out f state, they are from out of country. They should never get in-state tuition as they do here in NM.

I know how most illegals did it years ago. Most come in with a perfect fake SS and can get a DL in many states. I've seen 21 year olds put down many dependents, like 10-15, so lil to no taxes are taken. Come December most in construction visit back to Mexico and come back when things get busy. They'll switch the wording in their name, another set of fake ID"s and work another year. Illegals don't do taxes and just too many tricks to have lil taken from paychecks. They ought to require you prove your dependents. I've known several mexican illegal businesses that get caught by the IRS, they simply move and repeat the fake mess.

Every study I've seen show they pay lil tax compared to the social programs they use, in some states illegal mexicans alone take up over 50% of the budget

[AVGWarhawk]

Most come in with a perfect fake SS and can get a DL in many states

Most get stolen SS# from kids!

http://www.theantitheftdevice.com/st...happened-to-me

[mookiemookie]

One thing that people ignore in these conversations is the impact on prices that cheap illegal labor has. Cooks, dishwashers, construction guys, agricultural workers...without those guys, every business who relies on that labor would have to raise prices. Prices YOU pay everyday.

I'm willing to trade lower prices in places like restaurants and the supermarket for the extra taxes I have to pay (which are most likely minuscule on a per capita basis).

The answer isn't to kick everyone out. The answer is a worker program where these people can still work, be taxed, be tracked, and be deported if they break the law.

[AVGWarhawk]

One thing that people ignore in these conversations is the impact on prices that cheap illegal labor has.

Yes sir, this far outweighs the free amenities the illegals enjoy that the tax payers have the burden to bare.

It is a price WE pay every day!

The answer isn't to kick everyone out. The answer is a worker program where these people can still work, be taxed, be tracked, and be deported if they break the law

There is a program. It is called naturalization. Last time I checked it was paid for by the tax payers. Take the classes and become a legal tax paying citizen. No tracking required.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

There is a program. It is called naturalization. Last time I checked it was paid for by the tax payers. Take the classes and become a legal tax paying citizen. No tracking required.

If naturalization is such a great program that works so well, why are there illegal immigrants?

[Thomen]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

There is a program. It is called naturalization. Last time I checked it was paid for by the tax payers. Take the classes and become a legal tax paying citizen. No tracking required.

There is? Can i have my money back then?

I had to pay quite a bundle throughout the whole naturalization process. Or is it only free if you belong to certain.. uh minorities or ethnic groups?

Originally Posted by Mookie

If naturalization is such a great program that works so well, why are there illegal immigrants?

I think one of the reasons that there are so many illegals lies within the program itself. As you pointed out the other time, there can be a long wait, depending on your country of origin. Many may not want to wait, or they are looking for the easy way, o god knows why.