Thread: County considers blocking construction jobs from undocumente

County considers blocking construction jobs from undocumented workers
Jake Jost
Updated: 9/19/2008 7:44:27 PM Posted: 9/19/2008

VIDEO: http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as ... ovider=top

It seems only fitting that Jeff Hunter and his construction crew spent Friday working on a new funeral parlor in Morristown.

For the past year or so, he'll tell you, the construction business has been just about dead.

"Well it seems like it's awful slow," Hunter said.

One group in Hamblen County says part of that economic pain could find some relief if companies would hire legal citizens like Hunter instead of undocumented workers.

"I don't know that that's the answer," Hunter said. "It's not so much companies that are at fault in my eyes. It's more of our government that's allowing it to happen."

"It's not fair for these people to compete with United States citizens, it's just not," Wayne Dollar, a spokesman for the group Tennesseans for Immigration Reform and Education (T-FIRE) said.

T-FIRE is urging Hamblen County to take care of the small piece of economy they have power over: the projects they pay for with tax dollars.

Thursday night they presented a resolution that the commission has now taken into committee consideration. It says the county will no longer do business with construction companies or contractors who won't verify their employees are legal citizens. Dollar says the city of Morristown has already adopted a similar policy.

The plan calls for companies to use the program E-Verify to confirm a worker's citizenship and status.

Many groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and immigrants' rights groups say the program has many flaws that lead to more harm than good. They argue E-Verify has tested as unreliable and in some cases, a false background check has cost a legal citizen their job.

Still, some states like Arizona have adopted the program.

""We'd like to see the fine significant enough, even with the threat of canceling a contract to make it a deterrent," Dollar said. "If these people find it hard to find jobs in this country, you don't have to load buses up and deport them. They will self-deport."

One construction company owner who spoke on the condition of anonymity says it all comes back to the issue of available workers. He said the county does not have an ample supply of workers and it'll be tough to find workers.

T-FIRE argues if the jobs paid well enough, there would be a line at that construction companies door.

"The wages are low and the costs are still there and we're paying it. Hamblen County citizens are paying it."

T-FIRE says the extra costs of having the undocumented workers is taking it's toll on everyone.

According the US Census, the hispanic population in Hamblen County has multiplied by nearly 30 over the past two decades. Census takers don't ask about citizenship status so there is no way to tell how many of the hispanic population are documented citizens.

While Hunter doesn't know if T-FIRE's local plan is the answer, he does say take issue with some of the undocumented workers who are here illegally.

"You're going to punish businesses for hiring illegals when a lot of their documentation is so authentic, we don't have the training and stuff like a federal agent to pick up on that," Hunter said. "It does take away jobs from those of us who are here trying to do the right thing and I don't see how they get all this aid and help when they're here illegally."

Previous Report

A group of Hamblen County residents is urging the county commission to use only documented workers for county building projects.

The group is called TFIRE, Tennesseans for Immigration Reform and Education.

TFIRE members have gone before the Hamblen County Commission, urging them to award county contract work only to construction companies will to verify all their employees are legal citizens of the United States.

TFIRE has suggested contractors use the government program E-Verify, which, while not foolproof, has come into widespread use.

Owners of construction companies in Hamblen County have mixed feelings on the idea.

Some say it would cut into the work force available to them.

Others say it will make them more competitive when they bid, because everyone will be paying over-the-table.
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as ... ovider=top

E-Verify is 99.5% accurate according to the Center for Immigration Studies and rejects have a time period to rectify that rejection before being fired. Spread the word about E-Verify. Maybe your employer will join and help stem the tide of illegal migration and employment.

American Civil Liberties Union and immigrants' rights groups say the program has many flaws that lead to more harm than good.

What a bunch of lying SNAKES! They are the armpit of America.
They are the Mexican Marfia. They should all be investigated on every level to make them just go away.

Get illegal's (and The ACLU)out of our country and DO IT NOW!!!

This is the good that I can see coming from our Recession.
If that's what it takes, get it done.