The American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) expressed its concern with certain "Administrative Immigration Reforms" announced Aug. 10 with respect to worksite enforcement. Though the association supports the enforcement of immigration laws, the proposals offered will result in tremendous confusion and disruption without solving the underlying problems of nation’s broken immigration policy, the statement said.
The ANLA is particularly concerned with the "Social Security No Match Letter" regulation, which directs employers to take certain steps when they receive notice from the Social Security Administration that an employee’s name and social security number do not match, and to fire them if the discrepancy cannot be resolved. Thousands of workers in the nursery and landscaping industries may be affected by this rule, resulting in the destabilization of our workforce and an increase in worker shortages, according to ANLA.
Other troubling aspects, the group said, include an expansion of the error-ridden electronic employment verification system known as Basic Pilot. This new version, which will incorporate photographic identification into the data capture at time of verification, will be required for verifying the employment eligibility of all federal government contract employees. While enrollment for other employers remains voluntary, preference will be given to employers who opt-in to the system when cases are considered by the Department of Homeland Security.
"It is an indictment of our political system that Congress has failed to address unenforceable and inadequate immigration policy over the last two decades. Merely tinkering with the administrative rules employers are required to follow doesn't solve the problem inherent in our immigration system," the statement said.
ANLA said it will continue to advocate for a comprehensive approach to immigration that will allow much needed foreign workers to enter and exit the U.S. legally, coupled with realistic laws that give the federal government the ability to stabilize the existing workforce.
"The enforcement of dysfunctional immigration policy without congressional action to repair a broken system is certain to jeopardize both the future of our industry, and our nation’s economy."