Thread: Escondido CA plans crackdown on illegal workers E-VERIFY

City plans crackdown on illegal workers

By Jenny Hamel
3:38 p.m. PDT, March 16, 2011

ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- City leaders in Escondido plan to force firms they do business with to verify that their employees are legally allowed to work in the United States.

"This is about making businesses accountable," said Mayor Sam Abed.

On March 23, Abed and the City Council majority are expected to approve a resolution that would require the city and its contractors to use the federal government's E-Verify system to check the immigration status of their employees. The resolution will urge all businesses in town to do the same.

"We will unite this city under the rule of law. We will not be a sanctuary city anymore," Abed said. "If you want to come to this city and play by our rules, we will welcome you. We will support you."

Josh Park and his employees at Al's Towing stay busy towing vehicles for the city. The police department uses the firm to impound vehicles.

"All of our employees have to go through background checks through law enforcement agencies, where they check their driving record and their criminal history," said Park.

If the city passes the resolution, Park, like all city contractors in Escondido, will have to screen his employees with E-Verify. Park says it's a good idea, particularly, with high unemployment.

"I think that jobs should go to people who are here legally, and I think, basically, it's going to happen from city to city," said Park.

Many immigrant rights advocates see the resolution as another divisive attempt to target illegal immigrants and drive them out of the community. Over half of the population in Escondido is Latino.

"They’re trying to kick all Mexicans out," said Rogelio Trujillo, an Escondido resident, who recently became a U.S. citizen. "I don’t think that’s fair. I think they should consider that they’ve always done their part working hard."

In 2006, some members of the City Council made a failed attempt to prohibit renting apartments and houses to illegal immigrants, and in 2008, there was an unsuccessful attempt to pass an ordinance that targeted day-laborers.

"They already tried to pass these laws," said Trujillo. "They didn’t succeed."

http://www.fox5sandiego.com/news/kswb-e ... 5343.story