City sends out rules telling how to comply with immigration law


Posted: Monday, May 28, 2012 10:40 am By Malarie Haven

Alabama - Local governments around Sand Mountain are enforcing new rules for contractors following the passage of the state’s revised immigration law.

One provision of the law, which Gov. Robert Bentley reportedly called the “most important” part, was not changed with the revised version. Effective April 1, companies that do business with the state or local governmental entities are now required to use E-verify to check the immigration status of all new employees.

The online program checks information from an employees I-9 form against various government databases to verify the employee is a legal resident. It has been available since 1996 and is optional under the federal government guidelines.
However, several states have enacted mandatory policies similar to Alabama’s.

The city of Albertville sent out a letter last week informing contractors on the city’s active vendor list of new rules regarding the law. According to the letter, all contractors must provide the city with a notarized Affidavit of Immigration Law Compliance, (the form is provided by the city) and an E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding, which the business will obtain upon enrolling in E-Verify. The city also advised contractors to get a similar notarized Affidavit of Immigration Law Compliance from all subcontractors and maintain the records at the contractor’s office. A new clause in city contracts “makes it unlawful for an employer in Alabama to knowingly hire or continue to employ an alien who is or has become unauthorized.”

Albertville city clerk/treasurer Phyllis Webb said the city is waiting on the court system to make a decision on the state law before they start strictly enforcing the new city rules.

“We’ll be real lenient until the courts figure out what they’re going to do,” she said.

The city of Boaz has similar rules to comply with the state law.
“We’re letting people know that when they obtain a license or do work for the city, we’re required to get that information,” Boaz Mayor Tim Walker said. “We have to have the documentation that they’re legal. Whatever the state law says is what we’re going to do. We want to make sure we’re in compliance.”

Marshall County Commission Chairman James Hutcheson said a letter similar to Albertville’s was sent to businesses showing the county’s compliance with the law.
“Anybody that we do business with has to provide an Affidavit of Immigration Law Compliance,” he said. “This is for people that have contracts with the county. If we just go out and buy items from a hardware store or something, we don’t do it. but all people we have contracts with, they have to use E-Verify.”

Businesses who fail to comply with the law by not using the system to check employees or knowingly hiring an illegal resident could not only be forced to fire the illegal employee, but could face probation and even permanent suspension of the business license. Companies with 25 or fewer employees can choose to use the Alabama E-Verify Employer Agent Service at https://verify.alabama.gov/. Any business can use the federal program, which can be accessed through the U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Service website at USCIS Home Page. Employers must have an Employer Identification Number, also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, to enroll in E-Verify. Companies can apply for a number through the Internal Revenue Service.

City sends out rules telling how to comply with immigration law - sandmountainreporter.com: Local News