Face-Off: Immigration Incorporated

The government is ramping up the pressure on employers to prove the legal status of their workforce. Is this good or bad for the economy?

Charles Foster
BAD. This takes an overly heavy stick to business. It doesn't remove any undocumented workers from the U.S. and drives them further into the cash economy, where they're not paying taxes or paying for health benefits. This makes it more likely that as uninsured people, they'll increase the burden on an already overworked health-care system.

Mark Krikorian
GOOD. The business community says it's never a good time to enforce immigration laws, but this is truly the best time to do it. With 10 percent unemployment, there are a lot of Americans who need jobs, so businesses will have an easier time replacing their illegal labor force. This would be excellent for American workers, and the U.S. economy.

Our Verdict
It's unlikely that employment gains would outweigh the big costs imposed on already strapped businesses. To minimize them, employers should only have to reverify the status of new hires, not their whole workforce.

Foster is chair of Americans for Immigration Reform. Krikorian is Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies.