Thread: Bush holds feds accountable-finally!

Bush holds feds accountable-finally!
Tuesday, 10 June 2008

By Chris Simcox - President, Minuteman Civil Defense Corps

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a news conference, "The federal government should lead by example and not merely by exhortation. For that reason it's trying to get its own house in order", Chertoff said.

With little fanfare or media attention President Bush on Friday signed another of hundreds of executive orders he has enacted during his almost two-terms in the White House. The amended order states federal departments and agencies must require contractors to use the electronic E-Verify system to verify that the workers are eligible to work in the U.S.
Mind you despite the concerns voiced by the American worker and taxpayer, Bush's Amending Executive Order 12989 was not done so in the name of national security or public safety, no, it was enacted to 'promote economy and efficiency in federal procurement'.

Yes, you read correctly, forcing federal employers to utilize the federal "voluntary" e-verify system to merely make the government more fiscally thus economically efficient is the goal of the most spend happy conservative to ever have inhabited the White House. But I doubt that is all there is behind the President's decision. I suspect he may understand that the world is watching our inability to deal with what seems an intractably deadly disgrace called illegal immigration.

America is only now realizing the scope of the national crisis which includes corruption in the workplace, I.D. theft, social security fraud, money laundering and the immoral exploitation of both the citizen worker but also with the illegal alien worker. Our commander in chief actually made an executive decision to hold government employers and contractors accountable for following employment laws and not a moment too soon -perhaps the thousands of illegal aliens found working on military bases, airports and government installations around the country has finally gave the folks in charge pause to think -could terrorists use our shoddy accounting system to exploit our security weaknesses?

It does not really matter how you couch the verbiage, it's the outcome that matters and this is a huge step forward in cleaning up the national disgrace that illegal immigration has become. Remember our elected officials created this mess over a 20-year period and now President Bush takes a bold yet logical step forward -the federal government will monitor their own hiring practices to ensure they follow the law.

According to Bush's amendment, "I find, therefore, that adherence to the general policy of contracting only with providers that do not knowingly employ unauthorized alien workers and that have agreed to utilize an electronic employment verification system designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security to confirm the employment eligibility of their workforce will promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement."

Not one word about it being against the law to hire an illegal alien and not one word about the practice of "see no evil, hear no evil" which has exposed the gaping hole and tremendous risk to our national security and public safety. Proponents of law enforcement and national security should take notice of this executive order as the commander in chief now seems ready to support law enforcement and begin cleaning up the mess. Could this be as a result of the mounting pressure from the American taxpayer?

It seems our message is coming through loud and clear - Americans are actively leading policy change by utilizing a bottom up approach that has led to the introduction of thousands of pieces of local and state legislation to address the problems associated with out -of -control illegal immigration. And the bottom up strategy is working and has led to this "top down" order for the federal government to clean up its own mess. The state's rights movement is leading this policy change. States having the right to fix problems the federal cannot or is unwilling to resolve. This state's rights movement is a much needed renaissance of an accountability check and balance system our founding fathers constructed to allow states the freedom to hold our federal government in check.

Federal departments and agencies must require contractors to use the e-verify system that validates the workers are eligible to legally work in the U.S. One must ask, "what took so long? A majority of law enforcement officials and certainly a majority of the American people have been scratching their heads for seven years wondering why such commons sense moves were never required after the murders of 3,000 American citizens on September 11, 2001. We have had, until now, a voluntary system to verify the social security and I-9 documents to weed out the undocumented workers. Congress now has the opportunity to act on a growing list of grievances, to follow President Bush's lead and make e-verify mandatory for all employers in the United States, not just those responsible for government contract work.

A landmark precedent has been set; as stewards of security and enforcing our laws, of spending our tax dollars responsibly and interpreting our laws as Constitutionally sound, our three branches of Federal government are now realizing they are being left in the dust by intrepid state representatives and governors. Their work is paying off and having a profound effect on the feds -they are now falling in line with the states and that's the way it should work.

"It is the policy of the executive branch to enforce fully the immigration laws of the United States, including the detection and removal of illegal aliens and the imposition of legal sanctions against employers that hire illegal aliens," the executive order says.

We say thank you President Bush, will someone please ask McCain and Obama if they agree?
http://www.borderfirereport.net/guest-a ... nally.html

Bush widens immigration checks
Federal contractors must verify workers' legal status, his order says. Millions could eventually be affected.
By Nicole Gaouette, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
June 10, 2008


WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration, in an aggressive new effort to keep illegal immigrants out of the workforce, on Monday ordered all companies doing business with the federal government to begin ensuring their employees can legally work in the U.S.

The order will require thousands of firms to use a government system called E-Verify to check workers' Social Security numbers. The system has been voluntary for private firms but mandatory for government agencies.

The policy, which initially applies to new hires, eventually could affect millions of federal contract workers nationwide whose jobs range from serving cafeteria food to launching NASA spacecraft. The step is one of several the administration planned after Congress failed last year to pass an overhaul of immigration laws.

"The federal government should lead by example and not by exhortation," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who has encouraged firms to use E-Verify.

Groups advocating immigration restrictions have embraced E-Verify as a way to weed out illegal workers. But it has been criticized by business groups and immigrant advocates because errors in the Social Security database can lead to red-flagging legal residents.

And with the rapid expansion of federal contracting under President Bush, some critics questioned whether the order would be workable.

"I just don't know how the administration is going to enforce this," said Paul C. Light, a New York University professor and federal contracting expert who said such outsourcing had grown by 70% under Bush. "It's a very large number and very difficult to track. Who is responsible for making sure the sub-sub-sub-contractor is using E-Verify?"

E-Verify is already a success, Chertoff said, predicting that the executive order would affect "hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of workers."

Chertoff made the announcement during an appearance with Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez in which they touted administration progress in enforcing immigration laws and beefing up border security. They also urged Congress to pass an immigration overhaul including guest worker programs, enforcement, and some accommodation for illegal immigrants currently in the United States.

"We cannot neglect our economic security, and that is exactly what we're doing by neglecting comprehensive immigration reform," said Gutierrez, who worked with Chertoff and a bipartisan group of lawmakers on the 2007 legislation.

E-Verify is now used by more than 69,000 companies, with about 1,000 firms signing up weekly for the free Internet-based system.

Many companies have enrolled because of stepped-up federal immigration raids. In industries that traditionally rely on immigrant labor, such as meatpacking, companies understand that not using E-Verify can prompt immigration officials to take a closer look.

Chertoff said E-Verify cleared 99.5% of qualified employees automatically. But in 2006 the Social Security inspector general found discrepancies in 17.8 million records for citizens and legal immigrants that would create a "significant workload" to correct.

Lawmakers and other critics warned that forcing the more than 200,000 federal contractors to join E-Verify could overwhelm the Social Security Administration and create havoc for legal workers.

"As the administration requires more employers and workers to move into E-Verify, it should at the same time ensure that the system does not impinge upon U.S. citizens' fundamental right to earn a living," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), head of the House subcommittee on immigration.

Firms doing business with the government risk losing their contracts if they break federal rules. Some business executives worry the new requirement could add expenses.

"There's concern about increased costs and delays in hiring brought about by inaccuracies in the database," said Neal J. Couture, executive director of the National Contract Managers Assn.

Timothy D. Sparapani of the American Civil Liberties Union argued that E-Verify was "not real immigration enforcement" because the system could not detect applicants who used documents stolen from legal workers. He predicted the system would prompt more identity theft by illegal immigrants.

"American workers' identities are essentially going to become a black market commodity," Sparapani said.

Still, many were pleased by Monday's action. "With today's announcement by Secretary Chertoff, we are diminishing the ability of illegal immigrants to find employment in the United States," said Rep. Brian P. Bilbray (R-Carlsbad).

Added Dan Stein of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates restricting all immigration: "It's an excellent idea, long overdue."
http://www.latimes.com:80/news/nationwo ... 9886.story

Bush orders wider use of E-Verify
Contractors that do business with feds must tap system to prove employees eligible to work in U.S.
by Craig Harris - Jun. 10, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Following the lead of at least 11 states, including Arizona, President Bush signed an executive order requiring contractors that do business with the government to use an electronic system to ensure their employees are eligible to work in the United States.

The order, announced Monday, is unlikely to influence defense contractors who already have to confirm an employee's status to work in the United States. However, it would force a gamut of businesses to use E-Verify, the Employment Eligibility Verification Program that critics say is flawed because it doesn't detect identify theft.

The order is aimed at cracking down on hiring of illegal immigrants, including workers with overstayed or expired visas.

The action drew praise from many who want to crack down on illegal immigration and hope the president's order will create a more effective national policy.

Arizona, with its border to Mexico and an estimated half-million illegal workers, has been at the forefront of immigration reform.

The state's E-Verify system, a Web-based program that electronically checks the employment eligibility of new hires, went into effect this year.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security, operates E-Verify in cooperation with the Social Security Administration. Employers who use the system have a defense in court if they are prosecuted for knowingly or intentionally hiring illegal workers.

Defense contractors, including Arizona-based General Dynamics C4 Systems and Raytheon Missile Systems, said they already were in compliance.

"President Bush's executive order will have no impact on the way Raytheon does business. As a major defense contractor, we already comply with or exceed all Homeland Security directives regarding employment," said John B. Patterson, a spokesman for the missile maker in Tucson.

Julie Pace, an immigration lawyer who has fought the Legal Arizona Workers Act, said she expected the president to issue an order before the end of his term in January.

"It's more in keeping up with what the states have done," Pace said.

In addition to Arizona, states that have required contractors to use E-Verify include Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Utah. North Carolina requires state agencies to use E-Verify, she added.

Pace's firm, Ballard, Spahr, Andrews & Ingersoll, specializes in labor and immigration law. According to the firm, there are 500,000 undocumented workers in Arizona and roughly 12 million in the United States.

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce, which opposes the Legal Arizona Workers Act, said it welcomed the president's order as a means to a national policy. The Arizona law allows the state to suspend or revoke a business license if a company knowingly hired illegal workers.

"The problem with Arizona's mandatory E-Verify is not the tool itself, but the uncompetitive climate it creates for Arizona businesses because (all) other states do not have the same requirement," said Ann Seiden, a chamber spokeswoman.

NumbersUSA, a 600,000-member organization advocating lower immigration levels, praised the order.

"It's a long time past due," said Rosemary Jenks, a spokeswoman for the national organization. "It will have an impact because of the kinds of companies the federal government has contracts with."

Jenks said the order would not only affect high-tech contractors.

"Every federal building has to be cleaned and landscaped," she said.

The president's order comes as a worker-verification bill has stalled in Congress. The Democratic immigration-enforcement bill would require employers to check the citizenship and legal status of all their employees.

The comprehensive immigration-reform bills Congress considered in 2006 and 2007 included worker-verification measures. After they failed, various states began passing their own laws to keep employers from hiring undocumented workers.
http://www.azcentral.com/business/artic ... s0610.html

I realize that many believe this is just another underhanded ploy by the government to do something to us, but I have to say that I agree with the positive tone of Chris' article.

Why this change of heart by Bush is anyone's guess, but I'm not going to sit here and over-analyze it. This is a big part of what we have been fighting for and it is a sucess of huge proportions which the importance of is not going to be lost upon the IAs, their advocates, or the Mexican government especially.

Up until now they were able to claim the silence of our President on the issue as a win for their side, permission to continue trampling American citizens and the laws of this country in their quest to take over. And finally he's spoken out to the contrary which will, without a doubt, lead to snowball effect as Chris pointed out. If life was becoming more difficult for IAs before, it is going to become moreso even more quickly now.

The "whys" really don't matter....we have won a big victory and need to use that momentum to continue pushing forward.

This has to be a major blow to the LaRazas, MeChAs, Maldef, Univision, open-borders, pro illegal alien , pro take over of the United States. This is a major chill down their spine of ice age proportion. Let's keep the queeze on and queeze harder. Now the Federal government, at least, is saying that we will check your status. The fantasy of a new latin america, right here in the US, is rapidly turning very sour.

Originally Posted by azwreath

I realize that many believe this is just another underhanded ploy by the government to do something to us, but I have to say that I agree with the positive tone of Chris' article.

Why this change of heart by Bush is anyone's guess, but I'm not going to sit here and over-analyze it. This is a big part of what we have been fighting for and it is a sucess of huge proportions which the importance of is not going to be lost upon the IAs, their advocates, or the Mexican government especially.

Up until now they were able to claim the silence of our President on the issue as a win for their side, permission to continue trampling American citizens and the laws of this country in their quest to take over. And finally he's spoken out to the contrary which will, without a doubt, lead to snowball effect as Chris pointed out. If life was becoming more difficult for IAs before, it is going to become moreso even more quickly now.

The "whys" really don't matter....we have won a big victory and need to use that momentum to continue pushing forward.

Excellent points azwreath! Especially your analysis on the continued 'silence' of our President and the assumed victory that has been in the minds and actions of the pro-illegal invader groups.

The ability to 'silence' their opposition has been a frequently used tactic these people have relied upon for a very long time! They have created an atmosphere in which anyone who is critical of illegal invaders is condemned as a racist.

If nothing more, this sends a clear message to illegals and their supporters that they are not welcomed...

Finally now...there is a "supremacy example" in the battle for requiring employers to use E-verify to validate their workers. If ANY employer or STATE balks at mandating verification of workers through E-verify...you simply point to the Federal Government where it is now mandated.

IMHO...they can no longer duck and dodge. This should also bode well for getting E-verify reauthorized before it expires in November. The only negative I can see here is if this was done as a subversive measure to try to torpedo E-verify, in that, the gov and press could try to highlight the 1% of mistakes that might get made during verification. Just like the press is ramping up the sob stories with every illegal immigration raid that takes place.

Although I would like believe Bush is doing this because it's the right thing to do, I think he's just paving the way for McCain's amnesty plan if he wins the White House. Also, I'd keep an eye on Bush's pen the next few months.

Originally Posted by tinybobidaho

Although I would like believe Bush is doing this because it's the right thing to do, I think he's just paving the way for McCain's amnesty plan if he wins the White House. Also, I'd keep an eye on Bush's pen the next few months.

You could be right tinybob! However, amnesty did not work with Bush and it most certainly will not work with McCain. Once again, if this is his intent, he's "paving a road" that will lead to nowhere!

Your advice to keep an eye on Bush's pen over the next few months is well advised

azwreath wrote:

Why this change of heart by Bush is anyone's guess, but I'm not going to sit here and over-analyze it. This is a big part of what we have been fighting for and it is a sucess of huge proportions which the importance of is not going to be lost upon the IAs, their advocates, or the Mexican government especially.

Well said, azwreath.