The Trump administration’s dramatic efforts to deport some very bad actors in the illegal immigrant community have captured headlines and sent a powerful message. Although necessary, however, the nation’s illegal immigration crisis cannot be solved by law enforcement efforts alone.
A lasting solution will be found only by remembering the most basic rule of politics: Follow the money. We have an illegal immigration crisis because financial incentives built into our laws encourage such behavior. If we take away the financial incentives, the flood of illegal border crossings will slow to a trickle.
The place to begin is by removing the biggest financial incentive for people to enter the United States illegally: jobs. Sixty-three percent of voters recognize why people from around the globe dream of bringing their families here for a better life. America is still the land of opportunity.
To ensure that people pursuing the American dream do so while respecting America’s laws, every American employer must verify that every employee is a legal resident of the United States. A Napolitan News national survey found that 70% of voters support this commonsense reform.
The federal government has created an E-Verify system, a free program that lets companies verify the legal status of potential employees. Only 10 states require employers to use that system. Another 11 states require verification for all public employees and government contractors but not for private businesses. Most of the rest leave it up to the employer. California and Illinois significantly restrict the ability of employers to use the E-Verify system.
Most Americans find such political behavior incomprehensible. They can’t understand why political leaders would encourage people to break the law by entering the country illegally. When told that not all states use the E-Verify system, 68% of voters think the federal government should mandate its use everywhere for every company and every employee.