General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Gun enthusiasts and the rush to buy guns after a mass shooting: Please don't shift the blame. [View all]Nevernose
(13,081 posts)However, the principle remains the same: it's usually about the money.
Illegal immigration is one of those issues. Republicans politicians like to use it as a wedge issue (which is brilliant, because they can't vote), but don't actually care about it, because most large campaign donors don't want them to. So even if e-verify itself is a joke (I don't know, because I've been out of the small business sector for quite awhile and thus do no hiring), if the powers that be actually wanted to do something, they would. They could fix electronic verification -- or at least tighten up on it -- and drastically increase the penalties for businesses that knowingly or negligently hire illegals.
That's where I think the similarity to gun control and failed background checks come in. I think politicians want the laws on the books so they can satisfy voters -- even the most conservative voters don't want felons and the mentally ill carrying -- but the ATF and federal prosecutors don't enforce existing laws as stingingly as they could because that would upset the industry groups that control the money.