Federal crackdown on illegal workers could cripple building,
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... -headlines
By Ruth Morris
Staff Writer
Posted December 20 2005
Since slipping across the Mexican border and making his way to Lake Worth, Ramiro has tried his hand at dry walling and yard work, and even spent a few months stooped over pepper plants as a harvester. But whatever the task at hand, there has been one constant during his 18 months of employment: His bosses have never asked to see identification.
"They never ask us for papers, in any job," said Ramiro, who asked to be identified by his first name only because of his illegal status. "Even if you give them a false document, they put you to work."
Conservative legislators are seeking to address this legal blind spot with tough new sanctions on employers who hire undocumented workers. But labor and industry groups worry that an undisciplined crackdown could jeopardize key sectors that depend on the immigrant work force.
A bill passed in the House of Representatives on Friday night drastically increases the penalties for employers found to have undocumented workers on their payrolls. The most sweeping provision of the bill would require that all employers in the country, more than 7 million, confirm the authenticity of employees' Social Security numbers against a national database of legitimate numbers or face stiff new fines of as much as $25,000 per violation.
While a Senate version of the bill likely will take a softer approach when it is considered in February, including a temporary worker plan, analysts characterized the House bill as an opening salvo, and Florida employers were quick to take note.
Flying low, and largely uncomplaining, about 8 million illegal immigrants currently work in the United States under employers who either neglect to verify their workers' immigration status or unquestioningly accept false documents. While the congressional debate focuses mainly on the Southwest, the impact of reform would be significant in Florida, home to an estimated 850,000 illegal immigrants, the third-largest number behind California and New York.
The workers do much of the heavy lifting in Florida's construction industry and pick much of the produce in Florida fields.
"Without some way to temporarily legalize that work force, this could have a devastating effect rather quickly," said Walter Kates, director of labor relations for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association in Maitland.
While exact numbers are impossible to come by, Kates estimated up to 90 percent of the farm workers in some parts of Florida are here illegally, and he warned that prices would surge on everything from tomatoes to grapefruit to celery stalks if employers were cut off from that labor pool.
Those supporting tougher employer sanctions say it's high time employers were brought to task. Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants are deported every year, they say, while only a smattering of companies feels the heat. Supporters also hope to eliminate the "jobs magnet" that brings more than 500,000 immigrants scrambling across U.S. borders without documents every year.
Current law states that employers cannot knowingly hire illegal immigrants, but it stops short of enforcing the kinds of document checks that would put employers in the know. A pilot program run by the Department of Homeland Security helps employers to identify false documents, such as Social Security cards, but the checks are voluntary and rely on a database with a wide margin of error.
Not all workers tell the Social Security Administration when they get married and change their name, for example, which might prompt an alert. Other parts of the House bill called for tighter border security and extended federal immigration enforcement authority to local police.
"We think a lot of workers, including U.S. citizens, would lose their jobs, and that this would really disrupt the workplace," said Michelle Waslin, a spokeswoman for the National Council of La Raza civil rights group, which lobbied against the bill. "Employers would be fearful of hiring anyone who looks or sounds foreign."
Outside the agriculture sector, experts said, landscaping contractors, nurseries and restaurants could be hit with higher labor costs as they compete for a smaller group of potential employees. Representatives of the construction industry said they were already facing labor shortages after Florida was battered by several home-wrecking hurricanes this season, and fluctuations in the work force could easily push construction costs higher. That, in turn, could translate into higher prices for homes.
Edie Ousley, a spokeswoman for the Florida Home Builders Association, said the state's construction industry has 14,000 vacancies for roofers, electricians and other workers. She said the association is in favor of bolstering border security, but she referred to the employer verification push as "an aggressive mandate on employers in an unworkable time frame."
Other employers said they would support immigration reform that included a temporary worker program in line with a vague proposal by President Bush. The plan would bring more immigrants to the United States legally, collect taxes from them and track their crossings. Critics charge the plan amounts to a blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Greg Schell, managing attorney for the Migrant Farmworker Justice Project in Lake Worth, said regardless of what happens in coming weeks and months, employer sanctions signal an important shift in sentiment toward enforcement-heavy policies.
"This is not a good time to be an immigrant," he said. But, he added, "This is disastrous for employers. If the engine is deprived of fuel, the car grinds to a halt."
Re: Federal crackdown on illegal workers could cripple build
Quote:
While a Senate version of the bill likely will take a softer approach when it is considered in February, including a temporary worker plan, analysts characterized the House bill as an opening salvo, and Florida employers were quick to take note.
"Softer approach"? Is this like being "soft on crime"? Is this like being a Mushy Politician? Is this like "getting your Puffs out and cryin' over your lost illegal profits?" Is this like bein' a PANSY? Is this like being a SENATE SISSY? Throw the Girlie-Men Out of the Senate and get US SOME REAL MEN AND WOMEN IN THERE!!
Quote:
The workers do much of the heavy lifting in Florida's construction industry and pick much of the produce in Florida fields.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Pleeease. I can lift more than most of them.....because I'm Five Foot 8. And what are they "lifting" exactly in the "construction industry" that wouldn't be better handled by a little piece of equipment called a FORKLIFT!! Who are you tryin' to con here, Mister.
Quote:
While exact numbers are impossible to come by, Kates estimated up to 90 percent of the farm workers in some parts of Florida are here illegally, and he warned that prices would surge on everything from tomatoes to grapefruit to celery stalks if employers were cut off from that labor pool.
Well then bring it on. It's about time SOMETHING SURGED in the United States beside the foreign birth rate, illegal population, and national debt. Lets get us some high-priced tomato, grapefuit and celery stalks. Bring it on. We can handle it. In fact, WE WANT HIGHER PRICED AMERICAN-PICKED TOMATO, GRAPEFRUIT AND CELERY STALK PRICES and WE WANT THEM NOW!!
See folks....these people are pansy-asses tryin' to scare us with "heavy lifting" and higher prices for "celery stalks". I'm not afraid. Are you?
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
We are the Americans in the Land of the Free and the HOME OF THE BRAVE.
:)
