Making Hiring Illegals Illegal

The Missouri legislature will be asked next year to go after employers who hire illegal immigrants. Senator Tim Green says businesses that comply with minimum wage laws, pay benefits as well as employment and workers compensation taxes have trouble competing with companies that hire illegal immigrants–pay them little, offer no benefits or pay no taxes on them. His biggest target is contractors….especially those who use illegal imigrants on projects that are underwritten by government money. His proposal would immediately yank the contract from the employer using illegal aliens, impose state and local fines, and force the contractor to pay expenses of a new contractor taking over the project. He says his proposal will protect employers and workers who obey the law…and will protect the competitive balance in the labor department. The Senate supported his idea this year but it died in the House late in the session.