Jose Luis Correa: “First of all, let me say I have a poster here outlining the benefits that undocumented workers bring to the economy with…”

“First of all, let me say I have a poster here outlining the benefits that undocumented workers bring to the economy with a Social Security card that they will never get benefits from. You know, I was thinking, why in God's name are we bringing up this legislation? What is it about this? What am I missing? And I finally figured it out. Why are we going after small businesses in the United States? Why are we going after farmers and ranchers in this Nation? Why would we be turning over more Federal agents, Federal investigators on small businesses? Remember, we are not talking about the cash economy because workers and people that operate in the cash economy don't need a Social Security number. We are talking here about small businesses, employers and employees that are trying to do the right thing. Under this legislation, we are going to give small businesses a choice. You obey the law, fire those employees that are questionable, and you go out of business; or you break the law, keep those workers that are questionable, and stay in business. Again, employees and small businesses. One of these employees that is caught with one of these IDs is going to implicate the small business owner. That is called a conspiracy, which is also a major crime. California has the fourth largest economy in the world. It is the number one ag nation in the country. We export 40 percent of our food or ag product. Most of those workers are undocumented.…”