TSCRA director testifies on immigration issues before Texas Senate Transportation and Homeland Security committee

TSCRA Daily News Update, July 11, 2008

TSCRA director testifies on immigration issues before Texas Senate Transportation and Homeland Security committee

TSCRA Director and Labor committee chairman Bennie Bock, New Braunfels, testified Wednesday in El Paso before the Texas Senate Transportation and Homeland Security committee on immigration issues. His testimony outlined many of the concerns facing Texas beef producers as employers in today's volatile agriculture market, including the need for a guest worker program and reliable methods of identification for workers.

Much of the committee's discussion centered on the issue of worker identification, including fool-proof photometric methods of verification. Until recently, the law did not put the burden to discover counterfeit documents on the employer.

Now, under proposed rules from homeland security, the employer will be primarily responsible, even though he may exercise good faith and fail to recognize false documents. Bock also emphasized TSCRA's support of stringent penalties on employers who willingly – and after warning – hire undocumented workers.

In addition, Bock urged the committee members to consider that agricultural interests may require different approaches and longer stays for migrant workers than it would for seasonal factory workers.

A candid conversation about the U.S. Senate's progress in passing meaningful immigration reform legislation wrapped up the session, with Bock urging the State Senators to consider these important issues as they talk directly to our Congressional representatives.