Dems may take hardline on those who hire illegal immigrants

By Cameron Joseph and Bob Cusack

The selection of Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) to head the Intelligence Committee may be an indication that Democrats will press the Bush administration to crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

Reyes, a former Border Patrol agent, is one of the most outspoken proponents of enforcing these types of employer sanctions and appears to have an ally in Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), who will be the House caucus chairman next year.

In an interview with The Hill earlier this year, Emanuel said many Democrats want to focus on employer sanctions as a way to stem illegal immigration. He accused the White House and the Republican-led Congress for letting “its guard down when it comes to employer sanctions.”