Chamber Notes: Undocumented-worker policies pose problem for businesses

No one will doubt that our nation is facing an ever-increasing problem caused by the influx of undocumented workers into the United States. An effort in the 1980s to stem the tide of illegal immigration proved ineffective, and more recent efforts by President George W. Bush have stalled in Congress.

In the meantime, businesses across the United States remain trapped in a legal limbo. Federal law requires employers to ask for an employee's documents to prove work eligibility, but if an employer starts questioning those documents, that employer can easily be accused of discrimination. Both carry heavy consequences for an employer...