Immigration bills OK’d in state House

Companies employing illegal immigrants could lose government contracts or licenses if they continue to employ those workers, under two bills pending in the state Legislature.

The state House of Representative Tuesday passed the Industry Employment Verification Act and an employment verification amendment to the state law. The bills are now being sent to the state Senate for debate.

The bills require construction companies, contractors and subcontractors providing goods or services to state agencies to use a free Internet-based employment verification system operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to determine if a new employee is allowed to work in the United States.

Existing employees would have to be verified through the Social Security Number Verification Service. Federal contractors and subcontractors have been required to use the E-verify system, the Internet verification system, since September.

If businesses are found to employ illegal workers, they could be barred from state projects. Construction companies, even if they are not working on state-funded projects, could lose their state licenses and certifications.

Testimony provided to the Labor Relations Committee last summer by an executive from the Center for Immigration Studies estimated there are 18,000 to 35,000 construction jobs in Pennsylvania being held by illegal workers. The center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization concentrating on immigration, is based in Washington, D.C.

State Rep. John Yudichak co-sponsored the bill, along with state Reps. Mike Carroll and Phyllis Mundy. All three voted for the bills.

Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, believes the bills, which passed with bipartisan support, will protect thousands of jobs for U.S. citizens and immigrants who are working in the state and country legally.

“Every time we had illegal workers hired on a job, companies are bypassing state law and bypassing their responsibility of paying state taxes and that cost is passed on to every hardworking taxpaying Pennsylvanian,” said Yudichak, the Democratic nominee for the state Senate’s 14th District seat, now held by Sen. Ray Musto, who is retiring.

“These two pieces of legislation go after companies who are undercutting Pennsylvania workers in denying jobs to Pennsylvania workers that want to go out and earn an honest wage to provide for their families.”

Yudichak pointed out 14 other states have adopted legislation with equivalent language.

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta supports the two state bills that are similar to a section of the City of Hazleton’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act. When the city passed the ordinance in September 2006 many people across the nation were against it, recalled Barletta, who is the Republican nominee challenging U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, in the 11th District.

Part of Hazleton’s law declared it illegal for businesses to employee illegal immigrants. The law was later declared unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge James Munley in July 2007 after immigration supporters filed a federal lawsuit. The city appealed the case to the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. Barletta said the city is awaiting a ruling.

Barletta said he finds it ironic that communities and states now are writing legislation similar to Hazleton’s law.

“I’m not surprised that the state of Pennsylvania is now talking about it. What is surprising to me is how many politicians that criticized me in 2006 are now raising the flag against illegal immigration,” he said.

Barletta believes the state and federal governments ignored the immigration issue, thereby increasing the number of illegal workers.

“If they had listened to me in 2006, I don’t think we would have the magnitude of the problem that we have today. As I said back then, this is a way to curb illegal immigration in our country to punish businesses that are knowingly hiring illegal aliens. That is the purpose they are coming to take jobs. With unemployment at record highs, we shouldn’t be allowing businesses to use illegal workers,” he said.

Kanjorski supported the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act. Under the act, all employers within four years of its passage would need to verify that potential employees are eligible to work in the country legally through the E-Verify system before hiring them. The act would also increase border security and stiffen laws regarding illegal immigration.

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State Senate now to consider proposals to stop companies from hiring illegal immigrant workers.

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