.JPG)
While the Republican majority in Congress moves forward to make E-Verify mandatory in this country opposition is coming from some unlikely sources: conservatives and Tea Party members.
The critics argue that mandating E-Verify at every business will diminish civil liberties, devastate certain industries, is too expensive and that E-Verify is faulty. The E-Verify program that is endorsed by the Obama White is currently optional but a bill sponsored by Republican Congressman Lamar Smith would mandate all businesses check the legal status of all workers.
Tea Party members feel it could lead to further incursions on employees and lead to more background checks. Some conservatives feel it is expensive and will unfairly burden the small business with more bureaucratic paperwork.
Certain industries like agriculture says it will devastate their business and not give them the workers they need to survive. Experts say the bill does not recognize the need for legal, temporary foreign laborers to work the fields.
Republican Rep. Dan Lungren of California said at hearings on the Hill this week:
“Anybody who suggests that we can do it with American workers, with all due respect, does not understand agriculture in America today.”
