(CNSNews.com) – On July 10, Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) introduced the Zero Tolerance for Illegal Entry Act, which would make it a felony to cross the U.S border illegally and would mandate an E-Verify system for American employers to ensure that they are not hiring illegal immigrants.
The law would make illegally crossing the border for the first time a felony instead of a misdemeanor and would up the penalty from six months or less to a year and a day or more. (The full text of Section 275 as it currently stands can be found here.)
The proposed law would also mandate the E-Verify verification system for U.S. businesses to ensure that the people they hire are not illegal immigrants. The legislation says “all employers in the United States shall participate in E-Verify, with respect to all employees recruited, referred, or hired by such employer on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection."
In a press release, Rep. Black said, “The United States government should never prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens. We must have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to illegal border crossings and sanctuary cities, and we must give ICE the resources they need to do their job as they protect our nation.”
“By no longer creating incentives to come to our country unlawfully, we also discourage families from sending their children on an often dangerous journey to reach our southern border,” states the release.
Black continued, “The Zero Tolerance for Illegal Entry Act works hand in hand with law enforcement to ensure that we are doing all we can to uphold the dignity of our border. President Trump has been clear about illegal immigration from day one, and we know that he is committed to protecting our nation for future generations. We must do all we can to deter the criminal abuse of our border – it has gone on for far too long.”
The anti-illegal immigration organization NumbersUSA also praised the legislation, stating it would protect American jobs, reduce illegal immigration, and hold sanctuary jurisdictions accountable for obstructing the enforcement of Federal immigration law.”