Business angst over immigration bill

Houston Chronicle:

When federal agents raided IFCO Systems operations in Houston and other cities this spring as part of a 26-state inquiry into alleged hiring of illegal immigrants, local business leaders said they were not alarmed.

"Companies that knowingly violate federal laws are going to be held accountable," Jeff Moseley, president of the Greater Houston Partnership, said recently.

But what is causing heartburn to business owners in Houston and nationwide is a pending immigration bill they fear could place too much burden on them to enforce laws against hiring illegal immigrants.

As a central force in the national immigration reform debate, business groups agree tougher enforcement of employer sanctions will be just as critical as more guards along the border.

But they want assurances that new laws do not hold them unduly responsible if the verification system is not well-funded, workable or reliable.

An equally important demand by the business community is the creation of a guest worker visa program that will help meet economic needs.

...

It is still not clear whether there will be serious enforcement if the bill passes. There has been notable unseriousness on a bipartisan basis when it has come to enforcement of current immigration laws which also require employers not to hire people in the country illegally.