IMMIGRATION

I. Prevent Illegal Immigrants From Getting Jobs

1. Increase penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Under current federal law, penalties for knowingly hiring undocumented workers are as low as $250. Brown would raise the fines to $1,000 for the first offense, $5,000 for a second offense, and $10,000 for a third offense.

2. Create a tamper-proof Social Security Card to ensure employees are legal residents.

Brown proposes the creation of a tamper-proof Social Security card that every employer must ask of every employee before they are hired.
Cardholders would pay the cost of their own cards, estimated at $8 to $10 per person.

3. Increase penalties for violating state and federal labor standards, and hire 500 additional federal and state labor inspectors.

Brown proposes raising the fines for violating state and federal labor laws from as low as $50 to a minimum of $1,000. She also proposes hiring an additional 500 state and federal labor inspectors, financed with the money generated by higher fines and the $1 border crossing toll.

II.Prevent Illegal Immigrants from Entering the United States

1. Support Senator Dianne Feinstein's proposal to charge a $1 toll to all people crossing our borders from Mexico and Canada, raising over $400 million a year to fight illegal immigration. Brown proposes two additions. First, in order not to overburden people who cross the borders on a daily basis, she proposes having monthly or annual passes that are available for lower cost. Second, she proposes that a portion of the money raised from the fee be allocated to hire additional labor inspectors.

2. Use military troops for limited backup of the INS

Brown proposes treating military troops as an underutilized taxpayer financed resource that can be used to operate in cooperation with the Border Patrol, where they can be used for backup purposes including logistical support, communications, transportation, mechanical repairs, and operating equipment. This will free up INS personnel to tackle enforcement operations.

This is not a new role for the military. Under "Operation Alliance," the military already provides backup assistance to the Border Patrol and other government agencies involved in drug interdiction. Brown's proposal would expand the role to include illegal immigration.

III.Reduce The Cost of Services Used By Illegal Immigrants

1. Deport illegal aliens convicted of crimes in this country to serve time in their own countries' jails. Brown proposes using the leverage we have during treaty negotiations to force other countries to take back their criminal illegal aliens, with guarantees they will serve the time they're supposed to.

2. Use U.S. foreign aid to encourage other countries to take back and imprison their nationals who commit crimes here.

3. Require people to show proof of legal residency before they can use state job referral agencies and toughen penalties for Medi-Cal fraud. Brown urges Governor Wilson to sign these two bills that are currently on his desk.

4. Demand the federal government reimburse California for the full costs of federal immigration policies and policy failures. Brown joins other state elected officials in insisting the federal government pay all costs generated by illegal immigrants who use government services.

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