Rep. Smith Pushes for His Own IImmigration Reform

Rep. Lamar Smith has begun pushing for the mandatory use of E-Verify, an immigration status verification system used to determine the legality of an employee's work status. From this article in the Texas Tribune, Rep. Smith argues the rationale that if more illegal immigrants were kept from entering the workforce, then more citizens would have the opportunity to obtain those available jobs. Rep. Smith goes on to stipulate that this would help the unemployment rate significantly as well as alleviating those workers who are underemployed due to the weak economy. This bill has opponents, however, such as U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson. Rep. Jackson states that, on its' own, the illegal immigration population of Houston contributes 27.3 billion to the gross regional product. Each makes a compelling argument, and if immigration issues interest you, then you will certainly find some intersting arguments for both sides.