Louisiana and other states have recently approved laws requiring employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check the legal status of every worker and flag undocumented immigrants. But E-Verify alone is no solution for our nation's immigration problems, as President Barack Obama recently emphasized. Continue »
Rep. Lamar Smith claims E-Verify "is not an immigration bill, it's a jobs bill." But, Smith's definition of a "jobs bill" is one that kills 770,000 jobs, forces millions into an administrative quagmire, destroys America's agriculture industry and imposes new taxes and red tape on small business. Continue »
The American agriculture industry "fears a disaster" if Rep. Lamar Smith's E-Verify legislation becomes law. The current situation in Georgia, which passed a state E-Verify and now has crops rotting on the vine, gives credence to those fears. Smith's bill poses grave dangers for farmworkers. Continue »
Today, we heard an important pronouncement from President Obama at a White House press conference. The President made it clear that mandatory E-Verify without comprehensive immigration reform is unacceptable. On E-Verify, the President gets it. Continue »
Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported that the U.S. agricultural industry was gravely concern about the prospects of E-Verify legislation, which is sponsored by one-third of our "Three Amigos" on immigration: Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX): The agriculture industry fears a disaster is on the horizon if the one bit... Continue »
Did you know that as early as next year you might not be able to start a new job unless you are first cleared by a federal database? Some background: E-Verify is an electronic employment verification system that employers can use to determine if a new hire (or... Continue »
Republicans in Congress have launched a major offensive to force several million undocumented immigrants to leave the United States with a bill that would make it mandatory for U.S. employers to electronically verify workers' legal status. It sounds like a reasonable idea, but the way they want to do... Continue »
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) is promoting his E-Verify program as a "jobs" bill that will ease unemployed Americans' woes. It's telling that the first GOP "jobs plan" introduced this year would send unemployed manufacturing workers in Ohio or Michigan to the fields to pick fruit and vegetables. It's... Continue »
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta is in the unusual position of opposing a bill that would do nationally what he sought to do in Hazleton when he was mayor: require employers to check the immigration status of new workers. Continue »
American farmers and ranchers are confident they produce the best, most affordable food in the world, but they also realize foreign workers are an integral part of production. AFBF Labor Specialist Paul Schlegel talks to AFBF's Johnna Miller about a new law that would have an enormous impact on... Continue »