Tool to stop illegal immigrant employment comes to Senate as border crisis rages

FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republicans are attempting to get E-Verify technology required for businesses nationwide in a bid to crack down on employing illegal immigrants amid the crisis at the southern border. 

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was joined by fellow Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Bill Cassidy, R-La., James Lankford, R-Okla., and J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to introduce a bill that would require employers to confirm the eligibility of prospective workers to do so in the U.S. prior to hiring them. 

According to the lawmakers, requiring the E-Verify technology for companies across the country will remove a key incentive for illegal immigration. 

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Sen. Romney and other Republicans are looking mandate e-verify for employment nationwide to de-incentivize illegal immigration.

“President Biden’s last-ditch effort to limit asylum is too little, too late,” Romney said in a statement to Fox News Digital, referring to the president’s recently announced executive actions designed to address the border crisis. 

“Millions of illegal immigrants have already flooded into our country under his watch, and his executive order falls short in stopping widespread illegal employment. By requiring all employers to use E-Verify, our legislation would ensure that businesses only hire legal workers — eliminating a key driver of illegal immigration and protecting jobs for hardworking Americans,” Romney said. 

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Biden’s executive order will temporarily suspend non-citizen entries across the southern border once the average number of border encounters passes 2,500 people per day over a period of seven days, according to his administration.

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A group of over 100 migrants attempting to enter the US illegally rush a border wall Thursday, March 21, 2024. (James Breeden for New York Post / Mega)

The suspension would be in effect until there have been an average of less than 1,500 encounters at the border for two weeks.

Per Cotton, “American workers today compete against millions of illegal immigrants for too few jobs — that’s unfair. Ending the black market for illegal labor will open up jobs for Americans. Our legislation will take the necessary steps to make sure every potential employer is hiring only legal workers.” 

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Biden has blamed Republicans for the ongoing issue at the southern border. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Cassidy added, “E-verify protects employees and employers. It is an essential tool in controlling immigration and protecting Americans’ jobs.” 

The Republican bill would raise penalties for those who violate employment paperwork or hire unauthorized alien workers. However, the implementation would be phased in over a period of 18 months in order to allow smaller businesses to comply with the law.