Lawmakers will tackle undocumented workers and firms that hire them
By CHARLOTTE EBY, Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau
January 21, 2008
DES MOINES — Iowa lawmakers are expected this week to start refining legislation that would make it a crime for employers to knowingly hire illegal aliens.

House Democratic leaders behind the measure say they want the state to step in because they believe the federal government has failed to enforce immigration laws.

Rep. Linda Upmeyer, R-Garner, wants to make sure employers are not prosecuted unfairly. She said employers in some cases can hire undocumented workers unwittingly because fake documents are often hard for employers to detect.

“I just think we need to be careful and not go overboard,â€