Senators Banks, Cassidy introduce legislation to penalize employers who hire illegal aliens

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Senators Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the Putting American Workers First Act. This bill gives the National Labor Relations Board jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute employers who hire illegal aliens. The bill would make it an unfair labor practice to hire or unionize illegal aliens, while creating a safe harbor for employers who use E-Verify to confirm work eligibility. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R.-Ala.), Ted Budd (R.-N.C.), and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) are original cosponsors of this bill.

Senator Jim Banks

Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said, “Hiring illegal aliens drives down American wages and pushes our workers out of good jobs. If employers won’t follow the law, we’ll use every tool we have to make sure they face consequences.”

Key Provisions of the Putting American Workers First Act:

  • Make it an unfair labor practice to hire an illegal alien.
  • Make it an unfair labor practice to unionize an illegal alien.
  • Add a safe harbor for employers that use E-Verify to confirm work eligibility.
  • Shield employers from unfair labor practice charges for firing ineligible employees to work in the United States.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

It is illegal to hire illegal aliens in the United States. Notwithstanding this clear prohibition, employers around the country continue to employ illegal aliens and replace American workers with cheap foreign labor.

Meanwhile, instead of fighting for fair employment conditions for American workers, labor unions make it easier for employers to violate their obligations by advocating for illegal aliens. At least one labor union has declared itself a “sanctuary union.”

The National Labor Relations Board has the power to investigate and prosecute unfair labor practices by employers or unions.

Read more about the Putting American Workers First Act here