Under the Gang of 8’s backroom immigration deal with Senators Schumer, Corker  and Hoeven, formerly illegal immigrants who are amnestied will be eligible to  work, but will not be eligible for ObamaCare. Employers who would be required to  pay as much as a $3,000 penalty for most employees who receive an ObamaCare  healthcare “exchange” subsidy, would not have to pay the penalty if they hire  amnestied immigrants.

Consequently, employers would have a significant incentive to hire or retain  amnestied immigrants, rather than current citizens, including those who have  recently achieved citizenship via the current naturalization process.

The issue is really an “interaction effect” of the immigration proposal and  ObamaCare itself.

Beginning in January, businesses with 50 or more full-time employees, that do  not currently offer healthcare benefits that are considered “acceptable” by the  Obama administration, must pay a penalty if at least one of their workers  obtains insurance on a new government-run “exchange.” The penalty can be as much  as $3,000 per employee.