Immigration think tank cooks up scheme to force migrants to self-deport

In a bold move to support President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts, an immigration think tank has proposed a unique method that relies on “snitches” to limit the employment opportunities of illegal immigrants. The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) recently released a report outlining a plan to encourage “self-deportations” of illegal immigrants by punishing employers who hire them.

The proposal, authored by Ajay Gupta, suggests a minor amendment to the tax code that would allow private citizens to sue businesses that hire illegal immigrants. This would force these businesses to comply with the E-Verify system, ultimately limiting the job opportunities available to migrants. The goal of this plan is to supplement traditional deportation methods and encourage illegal migrants to voluntarily leave the country.

The report acknowledges that while President Trump’s enforcement efforts have been significant, they may be limited in scope when it comes to traditional deportation methods. By strictly enforcing laws against hiring illegal aliens, the report argues that a significant number of unauthorized immigrants could be encouraged to return home.

Drawing on the success of Britain’s 19th-century plan to eradicate child labor, which relied on private enforcement of labor laws, the report suggests that a similar approach could be effective in the United States. By allowing private citizens to sue employers of illegal immigrants and imposing a punitive tax, the proposal aims to make it much more difficult for illegal immigrants to find work.

Former Senator Mitt Romney also advocated for a similar measure during his 2012 presidential campaign, proposing the concept of “self-deportation.” While Romney’s idea was met with criticism at the time, it did have some high-profile supporters, including current Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The CIS report suggests that a renewed push for self-deportation could be achieved by amending tax laws through budget reconciliation. This would require a simple majority vote in the Senate and could potentially bypass Democratic efforts to block the legislation.

Ultimately, the proposal outlined by the CIS aims to force all employers nationwide to comply with E-Verify, thereby making it more difficult for illegal immigrants to find work and encouraging them to return to their home countries. With Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress, the report concludes that there is a clear legislative path to implementing these measures and addressing the issue of illegal immigration in the United States.