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44 points bikenaga | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.204s | source
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throwup238 ◴[] No.41875429[source]
> But one metric stayed virtually static: the number of managers arrested for hiring undocumented immigrants.

This was especially obvious during the last administration* when ICE was raiding businesses left and right to deport people and as far as I know, almost never went after the meat packers and farms and other businesses that knowingly hired the migrant workers. As long as the employers don’t see any penalties or they’re so small as to be the cost of doing business, there will always have a large pool of undocumented immigrants who will replace the ones deported.

I think if they were actually investigated the well would run deep with plenty of employers actively helping their new hires commit fraud to get past their I9 verification. It’s unfortunate that this approach has never been politically viable because I suspect a majority of the population is willing to approach illegal immigration humanely while punishing the actual lawbreakers upstream to address the core economic impacts.

* It was obvious to anyone paying attention during the Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations too but the media focus during Trump’s made it especially stark how little enforcement was going on at the employer level.

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next_xibalba ◴[] No.41875723[source]
This just goes to show you how unserious the whole debate is. You start imprisoning employers, and illegal immigration would dry up with quickness. Everyone in power knows it. But they also know doing so would absolute cripple the U.S. economy. Republicans create window dressing in the form of tough talk, raids, and somewhat increased border enforcement. Democrats don't even bother. They just leave the border wide open.

What in god's name will it take to cause politicians to get serious about sensible, economically viable immigration reform? My guess: there would have to be a very significant terrorist attack on U.S. soil in which the perpetrators are shown to have crossed the Southern border illegally without a shadow of a doubt.

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1. BryantD ◴[] No.41875791[source]
I'm sure that scenario would create something, but I'm not sure it would be serious. See the security theater around wearing shoes through airport security.