City tells vendors to verify workers
Thursday, August 13, 2009
By Keith Clines
keith.clines@htimes.com
Kling sponsors law aimed at illegals; vote likely Aug. 27

A company that can't verify it doesn't employ illegal immigrants would lose the right to provide goods or services to the city in a law to be introduced at tonight's City Council meeting.

Councilman Bill Kling is sponsoring the law, which would require vendors to certify that they follow federal employment rules and check employee names and Social Security numbers in the national E-Verify database.


The proposed law will not be acted on tonight, Kling said Wednesday. He expects it be introduced without discussion and be ready for a vote at the Aug. 27 council meeting.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. in City Hall at 308 Fountain Circle.

Kling has said the law was spurred by public frustration that the city is not doing enough to deter illegal immigration. He has said the proposal is not meant to offend anyone and is not targeting any nationality.

E-Verify is a free online service that allows employers to submit names and Social Security numbers of prospective employees to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to verify immigration and employment status.

The city would reject the contract bid of a vendor that can't verify that all of its employees are legal immigrants, Kling said.

If the city learns that a company with a contract falsely verified that all of its employees are legal immigrants, the city would revoke the contract and the company would no longer be eligible to seek city business, he said.

"I guess they would lose their right to do business with the city," Kling said.

Madison County and Decatur have adopted the E-Verify requirements for their suppliers.

Kling said lawyers for the city have reviewed the proposed law and don't think that it would conflict with the federal government's role in enforcing immigration laws.


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