SECTION 1.  The General Laws are hereby amended in chapter 149, by inserting, after section 19C, the following new section:

Section 19D. It shall be unlawful for an employer to knowingly falsify employment or citizenship documents of any alien in the commonwealth. Any employer who violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment in jail for not more than 30 days, or both.  If the employer has been previously convicted by a court of the commonwealth or any other jurisdiction of a like offense preceding the date of the commission of the offense for which the employer is convicted, the employer shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500 or by imprisonment in jail for not more than 3 months, or both.  If the employer has been previously convicted by a court of the commonwealth or any other jurisdiction of a like offense two times preceding the date of the commission of the offense for which the employer is convicted, the employer shall be punished by a fine of not less than $2,500 nor more than $5,000 and by imprisonment in jail for not less than 6 months.