Thread: Costa Mesa CA. looks at E-Verify for immigration checks

Aug. 2, 2011 Updated: 4:36 p.m.

Costa Mesa looks at E-Verify for immigration checks

By SONALI KOHLI and CINDY CARCAMO / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

COSTA MESA – Officials may once again push the city into the immigration spotlight.

City Council members may consider joining a federal program to check the legal status of new hires.

Mayor Gary Monahan will ask the council Tuesday night to direct city CEO Tom Hatch to research the E-Verify program that at least 12 Orange County cities currently use to check employment eligibility. E-Verify is an online free federal program intended to weed out employees who are working in the country illegally.

Monahan could not be reached for comment.

The move comes at the same time some Congressional leaders are pushing for a bill that would require all employers in the country to use E-Verify. Currently, the system is only mandatory for employers who contract with the federal government. In California - as in most states - the system is voluntary.

Former Costa Mesa mayor and anti-illegal immigration advocate Allan Mansoor pushed for the city and businesses in the city to use E-Verify, though his proposals didn't yield any action.

Some Orange County cities, like Placentia, also require companies the city contracts with to use E-verify for employees who will be performing city services.

Costa Mesa is currently considering outsourcing 19 city services.

E-Verify allows employers to check whether employees are authorized to work in the U.S. by determining if the I-9 eligibility form matches government records.

Immigrant, labor and Hispanic groups say E-Verify is inaccurate and flawed. They say the system has outdated databases and system errors that could have consequences for all workers – even U.S. citizens.

Anti-illegal immigration activists have long said that E-Verify is the best tool to keep people who are illegally working in this country from filling American jobs.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/verify-3 ... ation.html

Whatever you do don't fall for the Smith Federal Mandate bill on E-Verify. It will pre-empt state/local enforcement and decimate the recent SCOTUS victory for local enforcement. NumbersUsa is pushing it big-time.

Probably will pass in Costa Mesa.

Should be a no-brainer imo.