Thread: Obama eases penalties for businesses hiring illegal immigrants

Obama eases penalties for businesses hiring illegal immigrants

40 percent decrease in fines belies rhetoric

By Stephen Dinan
-
The Washington Times
Updated: 10:02 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The Obama administration regularly cuts a break for businesses that hire illegal immigrants, reducing their fines by an average of 40 percent from what they should be, according to an audit released Tuesday that suggests the government could be doing more to go after unscrupulous employers.

According to the audit, conducted by the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cut one business’s fine from $4.9 million to slightly more than $1 million — a 78 percent drop.

Investigators said the reduction is legal, but it may be undercutting theadministration’s goal of getting tough on businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

“The knowledge that fines can be significantly reduced may diminish the effectiveness of fines as a deterrent to hiring unauthorized workers,” the inspector general said.

The report was released the same day that a coalition of business groups wrote a letter to House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, asking him to pass an immigration bill this year. The business groups said they supported Mr. Boehner’s list of immigration principles, which would give businesses a new supply of legal guest workers while granting legal status to most illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

While most of the attention in the immigration debate goes to illegal immigrants themselves, analysts say the problem would be much smaller if businesses would abide by employment laws.

Under President Obama, the federal government was supposed to be putting more of an emphasis on going after employers. ICE specifically announced that it would conduct more audits of the I-9 forms all businesses are required to keep demonstrating that their employees are authorized to work in the U.S.

The goal was to try to ramp up pressure on businesses to hire legal workers.

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, said Mr. Obama has talked a good game but hasn’t followed through.

“This audit confirms what I’ve found in reviewing ICE audit records obtained through FOIA,” Ms. Vaughan said in an email. “Some field offices are conducting worksite enforcement (albeit on a tight leash) as if they actually mean to deter and punish illegal employment. Others do not take it seriously and are just going through the motions. Their goal is to rack up enough audits so that theadministration can use the numbers to claim that it is vigorously enforcing the law.”

The inspector general’s report said ICE submitted notices totaling fines of more than $52.7 million from 2009 through 2012, but ended up charging only $31.2 million — for a 40 percent break for businesses.

Investigators said overall, ICE showed little consistency in how it applied sanctions. Some field offices gave out far more warnings and far fewer fines than other offices.

All businesses are required to store the I-9 forms submitted by employees that show their legal work status.Analysts say the I-9 paper-based process is easy to defraud. All sides agree that an electronic system would be better — though many businesses balk at adopting electronic verification without first changing the rest of the immigration system.


In its official reply to the report, ICE didn’t address the issue of reduced fines.

The agency said it has tried to be consistent overall with how it goes after employers with warnings and fines and that the differences among field offices are caused by a number of factors.The agency said it even went back and reviewed some cases to see whether a fine or warning was the right response and that it found the initial decisions were usually correct.

The agency did agree to strive for more consistency in its reporting of information.

Businesses have been an afterthought in much of the immigration debate, which has focused on the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants now in the country and whether they should be given a pathway to citizenship.

Business groups say passing a legalization bill is important because it would give them a more certain workforce and would likely increase legal immigration channels, which would mean more workers.

“Failure to act is not an option,” a coalition of 636 business organizations said in their letter to Mr. Boehner on Tuesday. “We cannot afford to be content and watch a dysfunctional immigration system work against our overall national interest. In short, immigration reform is an essential element of a jobs agenda and economic growth. It will add talent, innovation, investment, products, businesses, jobs, and dynamism to our economy.”

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/content.php?r=2...gal-immigrants

YOU STOLE MY IDEA, MY THUNDER, MINE! MINE, MINE, MINE!!

Originally Posted by Newmexican

Obama eases penalties for businesses hiring illegal immigrants

40 percent decrease in fines belies rhetoric

By Stephen Dinan
-
The Washington Times
Updated: 10:02 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The Obama administration regularly cuts a break for businesses that hire illegal immigrants, reducing their fines by an average of 40 percent from what they should be, according to an audit released Tuesday that suggests the government could be doing more to go after unscrupulous employers.

According to the audit, conducted by the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cut one business’s fine from $4.9 million to slightly more than $1 million — a 78 percent drop.

Investigators said the reduction is legal, but it may be undercutting theadministration’s goal of getting tough on businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

“The knowledge that fines can be significantly reduced may diminish the effectiveness of fines as a deterrent to hiring unauthorized workers,” the inspector general said.

The report was released the same day that a coalition of business groups wrote a letter to House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, asking him to pass an immigration bill this year. The business groups said they supported Mr. Boehner’s list of immigration principles, which would give businesses a new supply of legal guest workers while granting legal status to most illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

While most of the attention in the immigration debate goes to illegal immigrants themselves, analysts say the problem would be much smaller if businesses would abide by employment laws.

Under President Obama, the federal government was supposed to be putting more of an emphasis on going after employers. ICE specifically announced that it would conduct more audits of the I-9 forms all businesses are required to keep demonstrating that their employees are authorized to work in the U.S.

The goal was to try to ramp up pressure on businesses to hire legal workers.

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, said Mr. Obama has talked a good game but hasn’t followed through.

“This audit confirms what I’ve found in reviewing ICE audit records obtained through FOIA,” Ms. Vaughan said in an email. “Some field offices are conducting worksite enforcement (albeit on a tight leash) as if they actually mean to deter and punish illegal employment. Others do not take it seriously and are just going through the motions. Their goal is to rack up enough audits so that theadministration can use the numbers to claim that it is vigorously enforcing the law.”

The inspector general’s report said ICE submitted notices totaling fines of more than $52.7 million from 2009 through 2012, but ended up charging only $31.2 million — for a 40 percent break for businesses.

Investigators said overall, ICE showed little consistency in how it applied sanctions. Some field offices gave out far more warnings and far fewer fines than other offices.

All businesses are required to store the I-9 forms submitted by employees that show their legal work status.Analysts say the I-9 paper-based process is easy to defraud. All sides agree that an electronic system would be better — though many businesses balk at adopting electronic verification without first changing the rest of the immigration system.


In its official reply to the report, ICE didn’t address the issue of reduced fines.

The agency said it has tried to be consistent overall with how it goes after employers with warnings and fines and that the differences among field offices are caused by a number of factors.The agency said it even went back and reviewed some cases to see whether a fine or warning was the right response and that it found the initial decisions were usually correct.

The agency did agree to strive for more consistency in its reporting of information.

Businesses have been an afterthought in much of the immigration debate, which has focused on the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants now in the country and whether they should be given a pathway to citizenship.

Business groups say passing a legalization bill is important because it would give them a more certain workforce and would likely increase legal immigration channels, which would mean more workers.

“Failure to act is not an option,” a coalition of 636 business organizations said in their letter to Mr. Boehner on Tuesday. “We cannot afford to be content and watch a dysfunctional immigration system work against our overall national interest. In short, immigration reform is an essential element of a jobs agenda and economic growth. It will add talent, innovation, investment, products, businesses, jobs, and dynamism to our economy.”

WHY DON'T YOU ENFORCED IMMIGRATION LAW

From the blog ..


amberdru • 13 hours ago

Principles? What principles. Boehner might very well have a hand in this. He's owned by the Chamber of Commerce. I wouldn't trust Obama or Boehner no matter what they say, pledge, swear. They both need to go.

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SpeechFree amberdru • 11 hours ago

Impeach Obama.
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fastboat SpeechFree • 4 hours ago

This man has no use for any laws passed by the people's representatives unless he agrees with them. He is running the office of the President of the United States like we were some kind of banana republic. His lack of moral integrity is disgusting. Wasn't HE saying just a year of two ago, don't blame the immigrants, blame those that hire them. At the same time, he then cuts back on raiding places we all know hire and keep illegal immigrants on the payroll. Like his father Satan, this man talks from both sides of his mouth. John Boehner is becoming just as bad!!
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Overman18 fastboat • 3 hours ago

No wonder, running a business in today's regulations is so hard.
Companies shouldn't get ease penalties for hiring people they are not suppose to.

Job Picture: http://www.dailyjobcuts.com
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Mr. Twitch fastboat • 2 hours ago

Don't be fooled...amnesty for illegals and the promotion of illegal immigration is BI-PARTISAN! Been that way for decades!

Cruz is pro-illegal
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Seth Barker Mr. Twitch • an hour ago

If you consider Bi-Partisan as 100% of the Democrat Traitors and 10% of the Republican traitors, you don't understand the conservative position at all. The small group of pro amnesty Republicans, are not Republicans, just watered down Democrats.

As far as Ted Cruz being PRO illegal, you are full of BS.

Troll
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John S. Perilloux Mr. Twitch • an hour ago

Can you cite any reputable sources for that statement?
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Sams_1 John S. Perilloux • 21 minutes ago

lazy , stupid and uninformed. Where have YOU been?
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DennisinWV Mr. Twitch • an hour ago

Pro illegal immigration is indeed bi-partisan but that doesn't make it legal nor does it automatically make Senator Cruz guilty of it.
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tpc4545 Mr. Twitch • 6 minutes ago

Go home troll You just happen to put Cruz in your comment Why?
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jackthelad Mr. Twitch • 43 minutes ago

Cruz is a native born Canadian. Let him go fix Canada.
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JohnJGalt fastboat • 8 minutes ago

Laws? We don't need no stinking laws!
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HarryObrian SpeechFree • 3 hours ago

Careful, the 'Fatherland Security' will be monitoring all who take 'HIS" name in vain. Welcome to Amerika, the land of the shackled and the home of the cowards.
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Meredith Moore Love SpeechFree • 2 hours ago

I'd love to see Obama impeached. Unfortunately, if the Dems manage to keep control of the Senate in November, it will never happen. Even if the Repubs take control of it, I'm not sure they have the backbone to do it.
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msm3165 Meredith Moore Love • an hour ago

The scary part is impeach obomber and who replaces him? That brainless moron biden? God help us. Obomber just continued baby bush's bullsh*t policies which continued Clinton's which continued daddy bush, etc. The puppet doesn't really matter because the puppet master remains.
The best thing that could happen is that the USSA government will fall. The great American experiment has failed. The electorate discovered they could vote themselves $ from the treasury. Game over.
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DadyisWatching msm3165 • an hour ago

You are correct, when they killed Kennedy, they killed the "Country for the people, by the people" They got away with murder and have enslaved us in the process.
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ConstanceUnderfoot SpeechFree • 3 hours ago

Regrettably, Keep that slogan quiet until After the November election.

Otherwise, Dem's will run with the any opposition to Obamacare, is due to "Obama Hatred." Facts won't matter, it simply arms the brainless with a tool to sway the brain dead.
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John ConstanceUnderfoot • 41 minutes ago

It doesn't matter. To libs, if you question Obamas policies you are racist. If you question the amount of welfare you are against the poor. If you talk about securing the border you are anti-immigration. Fortunately, more and more people are seeing right through this BS from the left.
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Mr. Twitch SpeechFree • 2 hours ago

Regan legalized 11+ mill
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JonathanO Mr. Twitch • an hour ago

Because of the Democrats' promise to strengthen border security. Guess what: they were lying, go figure.
Show 1 new reply
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forgetyoutooo Mr. Twitch • an hour ago

Regan? LOL Reread your talking point, Sparky.
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Jeff Stanton SpeechFree • 2 minutes ago

Why? What'd he do?
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W. Onker amberdru • 13 hours ago

LEGAL ALIENS do NOT want MORE competitors for the LIMITED JOBS that are available to them. MORE IMMIGRANTS, especially ILLEGAL immigrants, will mean no cap on how LITTLE an employer can get away with paying an employee.
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Waltzin Matilda W. Onker • 5 hours ago

There is no such thing as an "illegal immigrant".

An immigrant is someone who is here legally, with the intent to settle and become a citizen.

"Illegal aliens" or "border criminals" are the proper terms.

Waltzin Matilda
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popham Waltzin Matilda • 4 hours ago

Thank you for the clarification. You are absolutely correct.
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David R popham • 4 hours ago

I disagree - the dictionary definition of an "immigrant" is: "a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence." (Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2014.) Whether they are migrating in- or out- side of the law isn't as relevant as how LONG they are planning on staying. YOU have more specifically defined the people who are present illegally and temporarily.

Whilst these temporary migrants cause difficulties, the larger problem is the HUGE group of people that are illegally (and permanently) migrating to an area w/the (and especially in the case of the US) intent to start and/or raise families. THEY are the true "illegal immigrants".

It would appear that your government is refusing to enforce its own laws.
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CRITTERCOLLECTOR David R • 3 hours ago

"It would appear that your government is refusing to enforce its own laws."

Pretty much sums up the Obama presidency.
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Dan CRITTERCOLLECTOR • 2 hours ago

I would agree this is troubling, but at least in some cases, you are probably deciding whether to prosecute the business out of business or not. Depending on your bent (save the business vs. punish the business regardless), that might explain some reduced fines. However, there are likely many cases where fines were needlessly reduced, and that is certainly wrong and counterproductive regardless.
In the big picture, you have to admit that either more businesses are hiring illegals (hence more fines), or that enforcement has gotten a lot better than during GW's administration. Not saying it's perfect, but it seems like at least there is progress.
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AZXyb Dan • an hour ago

@Dan: Having hired illegal aliens, those business willingly took their chances with the law. If they get prosecuted out of business, so be it. A few business go belly up for hiring illegal aliens, and all the others say, "not worth it." Under the current amnesty for employers of illegal aliens, many feel they have to do it in order to compete. The only way to stop the illegal practice is to make it more advantageous to obey the law than not to obey it.

It probably also means that the fines should be higher, and egregious violators must do some real prison time. It's a simple cost-benefit analysis. It MUST be done if we are serous about ending illegal migration, and getting Americans back to work. I personally boycott any business I know of that hires illegal aliens. (I paid 50% more for painting by a company that hires only Americans and those legally authorized to work, and slept well for it, thank you!) If news outlets were willing to identify businesses that hire illegal aliens, and all Americans boycotted those businesses, we wouldn't need the government to prosecute them. They would be gone, and with them, their illegal alien employees. They should also name the execs of those companies, so that their friends, family and community know who is willing to throw American workers under the bus. Let them be shamed!
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John Dan • 36 minutes ago

So basically what you are saying is "if you have money and means to hire you can break the law". Wow, Obama sure has lowered the bar...
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RETUSAF1995 David R • 3 hours ago

ILLEGAL= "contrary to or forbidden by law, esp. criminal law."
ALIEN= "In law, an alien is a person in a country who is not a citizen of that country"

ILLEGAL ALIEN, pretty simple. Using the term illegal alien leaves not doubt. Undocumented immigrant? What the hell is that? Is a person practicing medicine without license are they a undocumented doctor? How about driving w/o a license, undocumented driver?

People will try anything to blur the lines and cause confusion. President Obama calls these illegal aliens, Americans! How's that for being stupid.

How about native Americans and not Indians? Shouldn't they be just natives? To be a native New Yorker, do you have to be a Indian?
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ThisObamaNation David R • 3 hours ago

Actor, Sworn Law Enforcement Officer, And High Ranking
Buddhist Aikido Master, Steven Seagal, Breaks His Silence About President
Barack Obama’s Disturbing Record Of Abuse Of Power.

Steven Seagal States That If The Truth Comes Out About
Obama’s Role In The Benghazi Attack, That Obama Will Not Make It To The End Of
His Term As POTUS Without Being Impeached.

http://www.birtherreport.com/2...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

3.
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Yachtspy David R • 3 hours ago

Well duhh. The same thing is happening in the UK only your hoards are legal because of the Commonwealth.
Good luck!
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John David R • 37 minutes ago

In the words of the Atty. General of MA - "illegal doesn't really mean illegal...
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Sams_1 David R • 2 hours ago

Hi Rip Van Winkle-" it would appear..."
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jackthelad Waltzin Matilda • an hour ago

Fines won't stop employers as long as they stand to make more from the illegals than the fine. If someone actually wanted to stop the hiring of illegals - which neither party is in favor of, BTW - toss the business owner in jail. That would stop it. Nothing else will.
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John Waltzin Matilda • 39 minutes ago

Libs and words... They simply change meanings of words to make their arguments look like they make sense.
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A_Proud_Infidel W. Onker • 8 hours ago

We owe illegal aliens NOTHING other than deportation to their home Countries where they can wait in line behind those already there waiting to come to the USA legally. Then once here legally, they can get a job and pay taxes to repay for the freebies they're enjoying now!
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bub23 amberdru • 5 hours ago

Please do what you can to help the Ohio 8th District primary Boehner. We have a candidate in JD Winteregg who just won the TEA Party Leadership PAC debate and straw poll. The PAC had already put up billboards to "fire Boehner", run radio ads, done some telephone polling etc. They are now going to support JD. Bohner's district does NOT include the blue areas of SW Ohio (Cincinnati and Dayton) so it is up to the Conservatives to step up and stop the insanity in Washington.
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HoosierDave amberdru • 3 hours ago

As a Christian Conservative ex-Republican (now Libertarian), I Second the Impeachment of Obama AND Boehner AND a majority of the Republican and Democrat Leadership. DC has become a cesspool for corruption and disconnectedness from those of us living in the real America.
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ghost amberdru • 40 minutes ago

We are no longer in control of this government. It doesn't matter if you vote, who you vote for, what those liars say. This is now out of our control.
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Willh33 amberdru • an hour ago

I agree!
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DennisinWV amberdru • 21 minutes ago

You should have written the article.
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Chkitout1 • 11 hours ago

The President is finally doing something to help the unemployed, unfortunately he is ignoring unemployed American citizens and is help illegal aliens. Can't believe you fools voted twice for this President.

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Andy Maxwell Chkitout1 • 3 hours ago

And with the lefts hatred of voter ID, ever wonder how many illegals voted for him and other democrats, or how many voted more than once?
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RETUSAF1995 Andy Maxwell • 3 hours ago

I think at a traffic stop if you have to show a driver license why not show ID to vote? Even Mexico, as backwards as it is, has voter ID cards. Are they ahead of the US on this?
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cats1cowboy Chkitout1 • 7 hours ago

I can't believe that people refused to vote against him, twice. You blamed 'the establishment' for not providing your perfect candidate and screwed The Republic. How's that working for you?
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Sum Ting Wong cats1cowboy • 2 hours ago

And this is how it will be for years. Dems stick together while Republicans have in-fighting within the party causing a split in votes.

Oh yeah, and don't forget the stubborn 'conservative' voters.
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wigglwagon Chkitout1 • 6 hours ago

Unfortunately, Obama is not the only one who is trying to replace American workers with illegal aliens. Eight years of W was almost as bad as what we have seen from Obama. Until one party or the other decides to aggressively support American workers, there will be no more prosperity for America.
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Prelusive007 wigglwagon • 4 hours ago

Say what you want about "W" but the facts speak for themselves. I was not a Bush fan but now that I see what "O" has done and is doing to America, I am sure as heII NOT an Obama fan to say the least. Look at our economy. Look at the prices we're paying for everything at the grocery store. Look at fuel oil . . propane .. gasoline. If you use a couple hundred gallons of fuel to heat your house that translates to over $800 dollars. And many home owners will go through that in one or two months of serious cold. Look at gasoline prices. You're paying MORE than TWICE what you paid under the "W" administration. Say what you want about presidents not controlling that cost but Obama criticized George Bush vehemently for not doing anything to bring the cost down . . . and it was only $2.00 per gallon then! NOW we're closer to $4.

Obama has RUINED our healthcare industry to the point that he has to roll out a new LIE every few days just to revamp his last lie.

"If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor" . . ."If you like your insurance plan, you can keep your insurance plan. PERIOD." has turned into the biggest LIE ever told to the American people BY ANYONE!

It's time to impeach this sorry son of a b__itch.

March 4, 2014
Corruption Chronicles
Judicial Watch

Besides blowing off congress to give illegal immigrants backdoor amnesty, the Obama administration is also letting businesses that hire undocumented workers off the hook by drastically reducing fines and enforcement, a new federal audit reveals.

It was only a year ago that the president vowed to come down hard those who hire illegal aliens as a fundamental part of creating an immigration system for the 21st century: “It means cracking down more forcefully on businesses that knowingly hire undocumented workers…most businesses want to do the right thing… So we need to implement a national system that allows businesses to quickly and accurately verify someone’s employment status. And if they still knowingly hire undocumented workers, then we need to ramp up the penalties,” Obama said in 2013.

The reality appears to be much different, though this particular audit, conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General, considers a three-year period right before the president’s statement. He was already in the White House, however. From 2009 to 2012, the administration slashed by 40% the amount of fines collected from employers caught with illegal aliens on the their payroll. This represents a chunk of change for the government—from $52.7 million to $31.2 million—but, more importantly, it sends a dangerous message to businesses that profit from the cheap labor provided by those living in the country illegally.

The DHS Inspector General states it quite clearly in a recently issued report: “Homeland Security Investigations’ inconsistent implementation of the administrative inspection process, plus the reduction of fines, may have hindered its mission to prevent or deter employers from violating immigration laws.” The DHS watchdog estimates that approximately 8 million illegal immigrants are in the U.S. workforce and many present fraudulent identity-related documents or use another person’s identity to gain employment.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is charged with cracking down on businesses that hire illegal aliens. During the three-year period analyzed in the probe, ICE got $531 million from congress to fulfill this “worksite enforcement” mission. Instead, the agency selectively enforces the employment law in different regions with some field offices doling out a lot more warnings and far less fines than others.

Making matters worse the umbrella agency, DHS, doesn’t provide sufficient oversight to ensure that its field offices are conducting worksite enforcement inspections consistently, according to the agency watchdog. For instance, investigators reveal that two field offices simply developed and implemented their own system by issuing more warnings than fines, contrary to established ICE guidelines. DHS took no action, the report says, pointing out that “without adequate oversight and monitoring” the agency can’t possibly determine if worksite enforcement is effective in preventing and deterring employers from violating immigration laws.

As an example, the inspector general offers ICE’s Los Angeles field office which has flouted federal policy by creating its own private system of worksite enforcement. During the three-year period considered by the watchdog the office conducted 147 investigations, with 7% resulting in fines and 55% in warnings. Even in instances where more than half of a business’s federal employee verification forms (known as I-9) had “substantive errors” the federal agents in L.A. only issued warnings instead of fines. One business mentioned in the report had its fine slashed an astounding 78%, from $4.9 million to a little over $1 million.

This certainly proves that the Obama administration lied to the American people in 2009 when it announced that DHS would focus on employers who hire unauthorized workers rather than large-scale enforcement actions that almost exclusively targeted illegal aliens under the George W. Bush administration. “Too many employers game the system by hiring undocumented workers,” according to President Obama’s immigration initiative for the 21st century. It doesn’t appear that he plans to do anything about it.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/20...-off-the-hook/

Originally Posted by Jean

It was only a year ago that the president vowed to come down hard [on] those who hire illegal aliens as a fundamental part of creating an immigration system for the 21st century: “It means cracking down more forcefully on businesses that knowingly hire undocumented workers…most businesses want to do the right thing… So we need to implement a national system that allows businesses to quickly and accurately verify someone’s employment status. And if they still knowingly hire undocumented workers, then we need to ramp up the penalties,” Obama said in 2013.

The reality appears to be much different, though this particular audit, conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General, considers a three-year period right before the president’s statement. He was already in the White House, however. From 2009 to 2012, the administration slashed by 40% the amount of fines collected from employers caught with illegal aliens on the their payroll. This represents a chunk of change for the government—from $52.7 million to $31.2 million—but, more importantly, it sends a dangerous message to businesses that profit from the cheap labor provided by those living in the country illegally.

IMO 'Bama is approaching the dangerous egotist stage. He really will say anything, to get what he wants. And the reality of his policies seems to be that of a quisling. I don't know what other system 'Bama actually prefers - or if there even is a system other than today's "I want."
*********************************
Americans first in this magnificent country

American jobs for Amrican workers

Fair trade, not free trade