Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

August 15, 2008

An immigration control measure working its way through Congress would create a ?no-work list? that would be economically ruinous for millions of workers and business owners.

It would require all employers to screen their employees through the federal government?s ?e-Verify? system to detect fraudulent Social Security numbers. That system would most likely be as accurate as the federal ?no-fly list,? which contains the names of one million people, nearly all of them innocent.

A version of this measure was enacted last year in Arizona. Its impact on illegal immigration was negligible, but its impact on the economy was dramatic. Many businesses have been driven to neighboring states. A few relocated to Mexico.

The respected business publication Barron?s described the measure as designed to ?curb illegal workers by strangling [the state] economy.?
Killing the economy is one way to deter illegal immigration, if we?re willing to pay that price.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.