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OPINION: Massachusetts legislature must pass bill designed to prevent illegal aliens from getting jobs

Published

1 year ago

November 13, 2023

Ken Paiva

Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform submitted the following piece.

“Support “An Act protecting Massachusetts workers” H.1866/S.1169

“Legislation that would require all employers to use E-Verify, the Federal government’s online vetting system designed to prevent illegal aliens from getting jobs, is the subject of a hearing tomorrow, to be conducted by the Massachusetts state legislature’s Joint Committee on Labor and workforce Development.

“This bill would protect low/no-skilled American workers from losing job opportunities to illegal immigrants. The state’s unlawful resident population, fewer than 100,000 in 2007 has skyrocketed to now more than 300,000, equal to five percent of the Massachusetts’ population.

“This flood of migrants has caused the real wages of the lowest paid 20% of Massachusetts workers to fall by more than those in any other state since 2007, according to the progressive-leaning Center for Policy Studies, in Washington, DC.

“Under these conditions, prime-age workers have left the workforce in droves. In 1960, 95 percent of all men 20-64 were in the labor force, i.e., either working or seeking work. In 2023, 91% of those with bachelor’s degree or higher were still in the labor force as were 85% of those without bachelor’s degree.

“But fully one fourth of those with a high school diploma or less have simply stopped looking for work. Between 2000 and 2023, Massachusetts had one of the highest rates in the US of prime age men exiting the labor force. Massachusetts’ labor force participation rate dropped 8 percentage points, as compared to an average drop of 5 points nationally.

“Declining labor force participation is associated with societal problems such as social isolation, crime, drug addiction, depression, reduced family formation and in extreme cases “deaths of despair” — suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol poisoning.

“Since the pervasive use of fraudulent identification is one of the main enablers of illegal economic migration, the obvious solution is to stop employers from hiring workers who present fake documents. That’s where E-Verify comes in. It can check the eligibility of any job applicant in seconds with an accuracy of more than 98%.

“The system is mandatory for prospective employees of the Federal government and Federal contractors — but not for all employers. Some 20 states currently require at least some businesses to use the system. In seven of eight states where E-Verify was recently introduced, both the numbers of American workers employed, and the wages they earn have shown a marked increase.

“Voter support for E-Verify is very broad, with a recent Rasmussen poll showing 83% of Republicans, 57% of Democrats, 69% of unaffiliated voters, 68% of whites, 70% of black voters and 73% of Hispanics in favor. Businesses using E-Verify report high levels of satisfaction.

“In May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark law—H.R. 2 the “Secure the Border Act of 2023”—which would require employers to check the legal status of new hires through the E-Verify system. Unfortunately, the Senate has thus far failed to pass the bill. It is time for state and Federal authorities to act together to defend American workers.

“In view of these considerations, Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform (MCIR) calls for the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development to report favorably on H.1866/ S.1169 and for the entire legislature to enact this badly needed legislation.”