Thread: SC-Sen. wants DOT to probe imm. status of its contract worke

Senator wants DOT to probe immigration status of its contract workers
By Tim Smith • STAFF WRITER • July 30, 2008


COLUMBIA -- An Upstate senator said Wednesday he wants the state Department of Transportation to investigate the immigration status of employees for the agency’s contractors, following complaints from constituents.


State Sen. Larry Martin of Pickens said some constituents have complained that a company which does work for DOT employs all Hispanic workers.

"I’m going to vigorously insist that all of these contractors with the state DOT be required to follow the law and some type of audit be done, particularly when it appears that a large Hispanic workforce is involved," Martin said.

"It just makes good sense. They are going to have to treat everybody fairly, and everybody is going to have to play by the same set of rules."

Also on Wednesday, the CEO of a firm hired to audit Beaufort County businesses said he has found a "significant" amount of questionable immigration documents in his firm’s audit thus far. The audit is the first of private businesses in the state by a government agency.

Andrew Patrick, CEO of Advance Point Global, said his firm has looked at records of about 358 businesses out of approximately 4,000 that operate in the county. He said he found some evidence of Social Security cards used by someone other than the person to whom the number belongs and also permanent residency cards to different people that share the same number.

Patrick said he believes the results of his audit might be indicative of immigration problems statewide, though he said different areas use more immigrants than others.

Debra Durden, an attorney for DOT and the agency’s government liaison, said the agency has no responsibility under the current law for monitoring the hiring practices of its contractors and whether they are following federal immigration laws.

She said the recently passed state immigration law will require companies, including those doing business with government, beginning next year to verify the residency status of any new workers.

Martin said he doesn’t believe agencies have to wait for the new law’s implementation date to insist its contractors follow federal immigration laws. He also suggested that Gov. Mark Sanford issue an executive order that agencies under his control ensure contractors are complying with such laws.



http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pb ... GECAROUSEL

How do you spell Graham ? Sunk Rat

It would be great if the rest of the country took this initiative.