Knowingly employing illegals should be a criminal offense of a high felonious order.
Actually, it is a criminal offense ...
From the Immigration Reform Control Act of 1986:
"UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT OF ALIENS
"SEC. 274A. (a) "8 USC 1324a" MAKING EMPLOYMENT OF UNAUTHORIZED ALIENS UNLAWFUL. --
"(1) IN GENERAL. -- It is unlawful for a person or other entity to hire, or to recruit or refer for a fee, for employment in the United States --
"(A) an alien knowing the alien is an unauthorized alien (as defined in subsection (h)(3)) with respect to such employment, or
"(B) an individual without complying with the requirements of subsection (b).
"(2) CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT. -- It is unlawful for a person or other entity, after hiring an alien for employment in accordance with paragraph (1), to continue to employ the alien in the United States knowing the alien is (or has become) an unauthorized alien with respect to such employment.
Further on:
"(4) USE OF LABOR THROUGH CONTRACT. -- For purposes of this section, a person or other entity who uses a contract, subcontract, or exchange, entered into, renegotiated, or extended after the date of the enactment of this section, to obtain the labor of an alien in the United States knowing that the alien is an unauthorized alien (as defined in subsection (h)(3)) with respect to performing such labor, shall be considered to have hired the alien for employment in the United States in violation of paragraph (1)(A).
HOWEVER, the penalties are quite minor ...