Speech #980213688

I have adamantly opposed employer sanctions. I remain opposed to this unworkable concept for four main reasons. First. the goal of employer sanctions is to keep illegal aliens from coming into the country. Employer sanctions have failed in this goal anywhere they have been tried. in both the United States and in 20 foreign countries. Second. employer sanctions are based on the premise that job displacement and depressed wages are caused by undocumented workers. That premise is simply not supported by existing research. Third. employer sanctions are an attempt to make immigration officials of all of our Nations employers. all 5 million of them. a job for which they have no training or expertise and for which they should not have to use their limited resources. Yet. under employer sanctions. if employers fail to do this job. they face civil and criminal penalties. This country already faces capital and job flight overseas to other countries.