Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?
It was one of the questions I had to answer while filling out the paperwork for my first job. For me, a U.S. citizen, the question was a no-brainer. From my perspective as a teenager, it had also seemed a bit unnecessary. Why do I need to answer this pointless question that has an obvious answer? Little did I know at the time, but for illegal immigrants, the answers are far from obvious.
When illegal immigrants search for a job, they don't have many choices. Many work in construction as drywall installers or in agriculture as food-sorters. Jobs, such as those in fast food, that many teenagers have, are not open to illegal immigrants. This is because they require a certification, something difficult to obtain without the proper paperwork.
By law, employers are required to ensure that their employees are legally authorized to work in the United States. If they refuse, employers face heavy fines that could be in the millions. Employers can determine if an employee is legally authorized to work in the United States through a computer program called E-Verify.
As of this week, 594 employers have been arrested since October 1t of last year after an audit by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement found that they were employing illegal immigrants. Why is the law that requires employers to verify their employees in place? It is to ensure that workers aren't being taken advantage of and to protect U.S. citizens' jobs from unfair competition practices.
But what does this recent explosion of audits by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement mean for our economy? Will the arrests of illegal immigrants and their employers cause areas of our economy to be on the verge of collapse?
Yes and no. While the arrests of illegal immigrants and their employers will not cause areas of our economy to be on the verge of collapse, it will definitely hurt the economy. Immigrants take jobs U.S. citizens don't want. With the additional arrests, there is a worry that a culture of fear will be created and encouraged. As a result, illegal immigrants will leave their jobs and hide.
But what of the jobs they left? Work still needs to be done. Who will do it if U.S. citizens aren't willing to take the jobs illegal immigrants left behind? And how will this affect our economy in the meantime?
Hopefully, the people of the United States will receive answers this week as Congressional members decide where they stand on key immigration policies.