Status Updates From Scratching Out a Living: La...

“IRCA’s employer sanctions encourage corporations to outsource the role of employer to third parties to evade government regulations surrounding the hiring of undocumented labor.”

By claiming not to be the workers’ employers, companies attempt to insulate themselves from state sanctions for the hiring of undocumented workers. While this transfer of responsibility has often worked well for the industry, it is a superficial fix that has increasingly been contested by workers rights advocates.”

“In addition to eliminating the need for plants to locate and process a never ending stream of new applicants to compensate for continual turnover in the workforce, partnering with contractors also effectively outsourced employer responsibility and risk related to the hiring of undocumented workers.”

“But rather than curbing US companies reliance on undocumented labor, the legislation’s implementation engendered complex employer maneuvering to avoid the brunt of IRCA’s penalties. The use of third-party contractors has flourished as one such strategy.”

“The federal government, too, maintains an ever-escalating charade of “border security” while ensuring that lawmakers’ campaign contributors — the leaders of business like Tyson — have an unlimited supply of malleable and expendable laborers to continue growing corporate profit.”

“All involved in the discussion were silenced by IRCA’s employer sanctions policy, which has obliged undocumented workers to purchase false papers to be hired, incentivized companies to be unaware of their employees’ undocumented status to avoid legal liability, and compelled immigrant and workers’ rights defenders to pressure companies…”

“Immigrants’ insertion into the rental market in small town America has effectively lowered the housing standards and raised the cost of living for all working families, disproportionately disadvantaging people of color.”