[T]his administration, the Bush administration, has done nothing to control the problem that we have. We’ve had 5 million undocumented workers come over the borders since George Bush took office.
It has become an extraordinary problem. The reason the American people are concerned is because they are seeing their own economic positions slip away.
Oftentimes, employers are exploiting these undocumented workers. They’re not paying the minimum wage. They’re not observing worker safety laws.
So what we have to do is create a comprehensive solution to the problem. Now, I have already stated that as president I will make sure that we finally have the kind of border security that we need. That’s step number one. Step number two is to take on employers. Right now, an employer has more of a chance of getting hit by lightning than be prosecuted for hiring an undocumented worker. That has to change.
They have to be held accountable.
Barack Hussein Obama, Democratic Debate (CNN), November 15, 2007