Over 1,400 Los Angeles janitors, members of United Service Workers West Service Employees International Union (SEIU), took to the streets last week to protest the firing of immigrant workers by Able Building Maintenance. According to reports from Truth-Out.org, the company has fired workers whose immigration status is in question. Protesters argue that firings because of immigration status do irreparable harm to workers and to their communities.

Workers commented that an immigration check leading to their firing does not create a single job, but forces people into an underground economy where illegal wages and conditions are prevalent. They also argue that removing immigrant workers does not improve wages and conditions in the workplace. At Able, there already is a union contract in place that guarantees health care and wages that can support families.

Although workers disapprove of the layoffs, businesses such as Able are following immigration laws that require documentation of all workers or face harsh penalties. For instance, Arizona Supreme Court passed a law earlier this year that made it illegal to employ immigrants, ruling that employers who knowingly hire these workers can lose their license to do business.

Many businesses are using the Homeland Security E-Verify system to to check that worker names match their Social Security numbers.