Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate are working on a provision in the Immigration Bill that will make it harder for illegals to get employment in the country, with much of the focus on penalty and tracking system that involves employers.
Lawmakers in the Senate are no close to coming to an accord on their version of an Immigration Bill, but the target is to come up with one before the Congress goes for the Memorial Day weekend starting May 26 for about a week.
Under a plan being negotiated by Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate, a range of sanctions has been prescribed for those employers who do not comply -- fines of $200 to $6,000 per violation.
For employers who have knowingly hired illegals once the bill is passed, the fine will be upto $20,000 per unauthorised worker with jail terms for repeat violations.
The House of Representatives has already passed its version of immigration reforms late in 2005 and has an enforcement focus on coming to terms with the illegals estimated to be around 12 million.
The House has nothing by way of a guest worker programme or any kind of process that will eventually legalise those staying illegally in the country.
The House, for that matter, does not have anything in its legislation on any increase in the H-1B visas either, a provision that is currently in the Senate version.
The White House has been goading lawmakers to pass an immigration bill that will have the guest worker plan and a process that will eventually legalise those undocumented in this country.
