It would be easier if you expand E verify. The Saudis do it very successfully. They used to have a huge problem with illegals.
It all comes down to Republicans want the 15% withholding on the illegals to shore up their budget. Yes, people are going to be able to collect Medicare or Social Security. The money will just go into the general revenues.
In Canada, if an employer submits withholding payments for an invalid, social insurance number, or if the name the social insurance number is registered under is different than the name of the employee, for whom the withholding is submitted, Rev Canada will get on your ass to prove the employee’s identity. And if they don’t, it’s a $10,000 fine.
If you don’t pay taxes, and you don’t have a social insurance number, you’re not eligible for any of our cradle to grave social programs. It’s really hard to get people to work for cash under the table. My youngest took a job waiting tables in the restaurant for cash when she was in high school. When she quit, she discovered that she couldn’t apply for unemployment insurance, retraining, or anything else, because there was no record of her having worked. She came home and said to me, “I’m never working off the books again and she hasn’t”.
We also have a really good system for purging dead people from the rolls: Government death benefits under the Canada Pension plan. It’s about $3000 for funeral expenses. Any family member can claim the benefit upon production of a death certificate, and a receipt for the funeral. The moment application is made we know this person’s not going to be working again
The IRS doesn’t have that kind of time in that kind of staff. And your social programs benefits aren’t sufficient to discourage people from working for cash under the table.