Red state businesses put on notice if they intentionally hire illegal immigrants: 'Stiff penalties'
If Montana businesses intentionally hire illegal immigrants, they could face major consequences under a new proposal in the state legislature.
House Bill 536 would scrap the licenses for those who violate the law, provide the Montana attorney general and county attorneys with funds to make sure the bill is followed and allow people negatively impacted by the hiring of illegal immigrants to sue.
"The bill is going to be giving the attorney general a certain amount of money to actually enforce this law," Rep. Lukas Schubert told FOX Business in a phone interview.
He added that the current penalties do not go far enough and argued that companies hiring illegal immigrants could end up harming American workers.
TRUMP'S CRACKDOWN ON CARTELS 'PUTS AMERICANS FIRST AGAIN,' GOP SENATOR SAYS
"Having employers that are knowingly coming in and bringing in illegal aliens who they know should not be in our country, and they know that they should not be hiring them, and they're intentionally doing that, there needs to be stiff penalties," he continued.
The Montana lawmaker added that similar legislation should be passed in other states just in case there is ever a return of more laid-back border policies in the future.
"Four years from now, we might be sitting in a situation where we have a Democrat president that is going to completely undo Trump's border policy and bring back Biden's border policy," he said.
The bill still has a way to go before it makes it to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk, whose office told FOX Business that immigration issues are a high priority for his administration.
"The governor will carefully consider any bill that makes it to his desk and shares the belief of a majority of Montanans that we need a secure southern border," a spokesperson for Gianforte’s office said in a statement, adding that the state sent National Guard troops to Texas last year and sanctuary cities are banned statewide.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT IMMIGRATION
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The legislation will be reviewed in the state's House Judiciary Committee on Friday morning.