Suffolk County Bill Asks Contractors to Check Worker Status

Workers, business owners, and unions will weigh in at a Suffolk County hearing this afternoon on a controversial bill that would require some county contractors to check their worker's immigration status.

REPORTER: County Executive Steve Levy has said he introduced the bill after some unions and companies complained they were being underbid by competitors who allegedly hire undocumented workers.

Day laborer advocate Nadia Marin-Molina, says the bill is less about ensuring proper wages and more about intimidating immigrants.

MARIN-MOLINA: Suffolk County is pretty well known among the latino community as a place that is not friendly towards immigrants and so it's just going to increase that.

REPORTER: A spokesman for the County Executive rejected that remark and says the proposed bill targets employers not employees.

About 6,000 out of 10,000 government contracts would be affected by the measure. Under the proposed law violators could be fined up to $2,000 and eventually lose their right to bid for government work. It will be voted on next month.