Unions protest illegal immigration at state Capitol

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Hundreds of union members fill the Capitol's south lawn urging lawmakers to punish employers who hire illegal immigrants.

Guy Ott, with a St. Louis-based operating engineers union, says businesses should have to prove their workers are legally in the United States.

The House and Senate have each passed their own versions of legislation cracking down on illegal immigration. But there has been disagreement about whether employers should have to use the federal E-Verify database to check their workers' immigration status.

Democratic lawmakers and Attorney General Jay Nixon spoke at Tuesday's rally. Nixon, who is running for governor, pledged to represent organized labor's interests, including on illegal immigration.