Bush takes ‘energetic steps’ on immigration

WASHINGTON - Farmers and other employers who rely heavily on immigrant labor said Friday that they could be driven out of business by the Bush administration’s plans to crack down on workers whose Social Security numbers do not match their names, and businesses that hire them.
Administration officials said the stepped-up enforcement would begin in 30 days.
“Everyone’s very anxious,” said Paul Schlegel, director of public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation. “We’re heading into the busiest time of the year for agriculture, so you’re going to see a lot of worry from farmers and employers about how you deal with this.”