Products, Vendors, CAD Files, Spec Sheets and More...
Sign up for LAWeekly newsletter
Announcing that they prefer to take on immigration reform piecemeal, the Republican-led House Judiciary committee has designated the agriculture worker program and workplace enforcement as the top priorities, leaving the issues of legalization and path to citizenship of undocumented workers on the back burner. At a press conference on Thursday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. said, "It is not whether you do it fast or slow, it is that you get it right that's most important." Underscoring the deep division of positions between the House and Senate, Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and John McCain, R-Ariz., two of the chief proponents of the Senate's immigration bill, immediately went on the defensive against the committee's strategy. "What we have found is, ironically, it may be a little counterintuitive, that the best way to pass immigration legislation is actually a comprehensive bill, because that can achieve more balance and everybody can get much but not all of what they want," Schumer said. "And so I think the idea of doing separate bills is just not going to work. It's not worked in the past, and it's not going to work in the future." The workplace enforcement issue is of key concern to landscape professionals as changes loom on the horizon. One of the biggest changes is the possibility of every employer having to verify a worker's legal status through a national e-verify system. As of now, the use of e-verify nationally is on a volunteer basis although some cities and states do require it. According to Dan Moffet who has written extensively about immigration issues, e-verify technology is cost-effective and efficient and stands good chance of becoming federal law. "The idea of enhanced workplace enforcement has strong bipartisan support," says Moffett, "appealing to both progressives and conservatives, who think the nation's broken immigration system can't be fixed without strong sanctions against illegal workers and disreputable employers."
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
Sign up to receive Landscape Architect and Specifier News Magazine, LA Weekly and More...
Invalid Verification Code
Please enter the Verification Code below
You are now subcribed to LASN. You can also search and download CAD files and spec sheets from LADetails.