Citizen Tom

During press conference today, Faisal Gill, candidate for the House of Delegates, 51st District, announced an immigration reform proposal (here). Subsequently, he described his proposal in more detail in an email to supporters.

GILL PROPOSES THAT EMPLOYERS BE HELD
CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ROLE
IN THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRISIS

Recent events have shown that Prince William County is serious about the problem of illegal immigration. Since the Federal government is not, it is time that the Commonwealth of Virginia demonstrates that it is serious about solving the issue of illegal immigration. We have taken some good early steps, but thus far we have not gone after the heart of the problem: money. We need to attack illegal immigration at the root of the problem. While most legal immigrants come here to better their lives and integrate into American society, illegal immigrants come here for one reason only and that is to make money. We are not a border state; it is our low unemployment rate that makes us a magnet for illegal immigrants crossing our Southern border. We need to take away the economic incentive for illegal immigrants. That is why I am proposing one of the toughest measure thus far suggested anywhere in the United States against employers who employ illegal immigrants: such employers should be held criminally liable and take away their business licenses.

We need to amend the current VA law that only makes it a misdemeanor to employ illegal immigrants. I propose that we make it a Class 3 felony for any employer to hire illegal immigrants. Furthermore, the state police should have a special unit to make sure that all employers are abiding by the law. All businesses operating in the Commonwealth shall be required to verify the legal status of all employees. The employer will be required to keep such proof of legal status. Failure to do so will not only result in loss of business license but would also subject senior managers and owners to jail time. Currently under Federal law most employers simply pay a civil penalty if they knowingly employ illegal immigrants. Under my proposal the State will enforce not federal law but rather state law when they go after employers who make no effort to ascertain that those they employ are in this country legally.

Under the current system, even though under VA law, it is a Class 1 misdemeanor for employers to hire illegal immigrants. However, there is no effort to enforce this law. My proposal not only amends the law to toughen the penalties, but also calls for vigorous enforcement. We need to realize that it is the employer hiring illegal immigrants is largely responsible for this problem. It is the employer who hires illegal immigrants who provides the incentive come here illegally.

Along with removing government benefits for illegal immigrants, such as in-state tuition at Virginia universities, we also need to punish those who make this problem as huge as it is. Some irresponsible employers for far too long have taken advantage of the fact that the Federal government does not have the agents to conduct the investigations at their worksites. Their hiring of illegal workers with no medical benefits have left our hospital emergency rooms so overburdened that those with real emergencies cannot get timely treatment. Their low wages have led to workers crowding into housing in neighborhoods without the infrastructure to handle the load, putting the workers as well as the neighbors at risk for fire.

Along with making employers criminally liable, the business license should also be revoked if it is determined that the employer has been hiring illegal immigrants. It is only after the businesses realize that they will face sever sanctions and will lose money will they stop hiring illegal immigrants. And for the first time, employers will go to will be held responsible for contributing to this illegal immigration crisis.

As an immigrant, the issue of illegal immigration has a very different meaning for me then it does for others. The openness and the promise of the United States have taken this immigrant son of a cab driver to the White House as a lawyer and now during this election to his party’s nomination for the House of Delegates. The United States must remain open and be a beacon for those seeking freedom and opportunity, for those willing to learn our language and serve, when called upon, in our nation’s military. However, we are a nation of laws and everyone coming to the United States or in the United States must obey the law. Immigrants who come here illegally do so not because they want to become citizens of our country, but simply to make money. Once we take away their ability to make money, they will no longer have any reason to come here. The best way to prevent the illegal immigrants from finding Virginia an attractive place to come in search of making money is to make sure that no one hires them. My proposal will make sure that does not happen.