Senator, in Queensbury, seeks to reduce illegal immigration
April 10, 2007
QUEENSBURY -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer on Tuesday called for a national employment identification card system that would include modern technology such as fingerprint- or retina scanning.
Schumer, speaking at an assisted living community in Queensbury, said such as system would reduce illegal immigration by 95 percent.
"Everyone who applies for a job has to show the card," Schumer said. "No illegal immigrant will get the card. The only people who will be are citizens or people who are here legally."
Once the system is in place, employers who hire illegal immigrants would be fined $50,000 for a first offense, under Schumer's proposal.
"The second penalty -- you go to the clink," he said.
Schumer discussed his immigration proposal at a forum on prescription prices conducted at Cedars Senior Living Community on Evergreen Lane, off Bay Road in Queensbury.
Schumer said the U.S. Senate is poised to pass legislation that would allow the federal government to negotiate bulk prescription prices for senior citizens who receive Part D prescription coverage under Medicare.
"That should make Part D, which is a good step, so much the better," he said.
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