Yeah and you liked not having to pay social security, medicare, Wash. St L and I (workmens comp, insurance), employment security taxes. I'm sure you gave them their 20 min. breaks and spent countless hours providing safety training, etc. etc. Theres the problem. people use illegals for cheap, then bitch about the feds and states not doing anything about their illegal presence in this country.
Here's what needs to happen. The Feds need to grant amnesty and issue temp. work visas. Document them and have them pay taxes on earnings. Stay out of trouble, stay and do the work no one else wants to do for cheap. Win win situation. homeowners and contractors get cheap labor if they want to pay the price. Add $5.00 per hour for state and federal requirements. Send 1099's misc and W-2's. If you're in compliance, keep working. If not, no more work until you are in compliance.
I'm a general contractor and compete in the bidding process with othe GCs who use illegals all the time. Not fair at all and I can't compete with these underbidding aholes. I watch them pick up workers at home depot all the time. The state should record license numbers and do follow ups on these GCs and see if they are paying employee taxes AND state sales taxes. Lots of revenue to be had there. GUARANTEED it would pay for the enforcement.