Isn't that the point?

I just read this in the Boston Herald.

Immigration agents snag 27 in document scam raid
By Mike Underwood
Thursday, August 9, 2007 - Updated: 04:10 AM EST

Immigration
officials rounded up 27 people yesterday in an effort to smash a suspected
document and benefit fraud operation in Chelsea.

Seven people, all
illegal immigrants, will face criminal charges in U.S. District Court while the
remaining 20 will face immigration charges in a Federal Immigration Court.

“This was a targeted enforcement operation,” said Paula Grenier,
spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency which
carried out the raid.

She said she could not comment on exactly where or
when the raid happened, but said one woman was released from custody because of
“child care” reasons.

The raid comes as federal authorities are poised
to release tough new rules aimed at making it harder for employers to hire
undocumented immigrants. The new rules force employers to confirm Social
Security numbers or fire the workers on the spot. Those who fail to comply could
face fines of $250 to $10,000 per illegal worker.

Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff reinforced the get-tough approach in Boston yesterday
at a national gathering of state lawmakers.

“What I can tell you is we
will certainly use every enforcement tool that we have, and every resource that
we have available, to tackle the problem,” Chertoff said.

Advocates for
immigrants say the rules are too harsh.

“It’s going to hit really hard,”
said Shuya Ohno, a spokesman for Boston-based Massachusetts Immigrant and
Refugee Advocacy Coalition. “When this is enforced uniformly, it will be
devastating.”

MetroWest Daily News and the Associated Press contributed
to this report.

My response to Shuya Ohno is, isn't that the point? Now I wonder which issue here is going to really hit hard? The loss of their documents, or the enforcement of immigration law?

If this Social Security verification plan gets put in place, we are going to see more than just Illegal Immigrants being fired. How many cases of Identity Fraud are going to be exposed? Our own homegrown fugitive felons will have to hide better. I have a feeling that our Law Enforcement Agencies nationwide will be really busy. I bet thousands of cases (failure to appear, persons of interest, wanted, escapees) will be closed in short time.

This is awesome if it comes to bear fruit.