Panelists discuss enforcement measures including 287(g) and possible effects on construction sector

Panelists discussed several proposed immigration measures under consideration in the General Assembly, including proposals to require employers to verify immigration status for workers they pay and encouragement for counties to adopt 287(g) arrangements to coordinate ICE warrant service or database access at county jails.

Todd Warner said enforcement proposals could hit the construction sector especially hard because much of the labor force there "is not from here." "When I see this asphalt going down, you don't see many Americans on the back of them pavers," he said, arguing that a strict employer-verification mandate could produce labor shortages and community impacts.

Jake Macauman described the broader budget pressures state leaders associate with illegal immigration, saying the state faces roughly a billion dollars in expenses tied to criminal enforcement, education and emergency healthcare. Panelists noted that 287(g) has different modules ranging from warrant-service specialists to database access, and they described the program as a way to better coordinate ICE pickups from jails rather than rely on federal action after release.

What happens next: panelists said immigration proposals are moving through leadership and committee processes; local governments and industries will be monitoring the bills for their practical effects on labor supply and public costs.