[rey]

Well, yes and no.

First of all, I used to manage a vineyard; when these guys come for employment, if they have the paper work, you MUST accept them. I certain most were illegal, but for me to turn them away would be a discrimitory act on my part, one that is punishable by both the EDD and in civil court. Furthermore, why must I be the enforcing agency of the Fed's laws? I have no training (nor should I) to identify forged documents, or any reasonable means to determine someone's citizenry. I have enough to do with tax compliance, EPA requirements, Fish and Game, county ordinance issues, air quality control, CDF, CHP code enforcements, and a myriad of other things that keep me full-time amusing the government; I don't wish to be the border police too.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not in favor of employing illegals, but why burden legitimate businesses with more?

[r9etb]

Don't get me wrong; I'm not in favor of employing illegals, but why burden legitimate businesses with more?

Er, because they're the ones paying illegal immigrants to cross the border, and thus the driving force behind the problem?

Your comments about enforcement "not being your job" are certainly valid. But then again, you also have legal obligations to not break the law. The question is: how does one check the "legal" status of a person without imposing honerous overhead?

That's where the "guest worker" idea comes in. If a person is officially registered and in an official database; and that person provides you with documentation that can be verified against that database; then you have a simple "yes or no" approach to not hiring illegals. (It could also be tied in with your IRS reporting -- put these folks on the tax roles, too!)

[RKV]

Employers have specific legal responsibilities - if they suspect document fraud the police or immigration should be called. If someone gave you a bogus $100 bill you would call the police on them wouldn't you? And don't say I am being unrealistic - I married into a family that owned several vineyards in Fresno so I know the details on phony green cards first hand. It will take a number of policy changes (like requiring police to arrest and charge illegals when they find them) to make this work. Ending welfare as we know it would be another step in the right direction on the supply side, too. What this is really about is that farmers want cheap labor, and the politicians want farmers campaign contributions. Meanwhile the rest of us pay the costs that farmers don't.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

BS

[Dan Evans]

Furthermore, why must I be the enforcing agency of the Fed's laws?

Same reason you have to enforce the IRS withholding laws for income taxes and social security -- it's the law.

[epow]

if they have the paper work, you MUST accept them. I certain most were illegal, but for me to turn them away would be a discrimitory act on my part, one that is punishable by both the EDD and in civil court

Laws to that effect should be changed. I'm not saying that employers could do all that needs doing by themselves, the government should be doing it's job by reforming the applicable laws. Then the employers would be legal in refusing to hire any applicant whose ID is in doubt.

[dennisw]

Furthermore, why must I be the enforcing agency of the Fed's laws? I have no training (nor should I) to identify forged documents, or any reasonable means to determine someone's citizenry. I have enough to do with tax compliance, EPA requirements, Fish and Game.....

You are not a moron so you have a very good idea what legal papers look like.
Nonetheless the Feds have to make it a no brainer so employers can't complain. Make it mandatory for employers to verify present and future employees against an online SS# database. This procedure will take care of 90% of illegal aliens employyees