Thread: Immigration authorities saycrackdown not tough as expected

immigration authorities conceding crackdown not as tough as expected
By Javier Erik Olvera and Lisa Friedman
MediaNews
Article Launched: 08/16/2007 06:37:21 PM PDT

A week after unveiling a major crackdown on businesses that hire illegal immigrants, the Bush administration is now conceding that its most heavily touted weapon in pursuing employers - an assault against Social Security fraud - will be nearly useless.

That's because when the Social Security Administration warns employers about bogus identification numbers, it remains barred from also alerting the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that's supposed to hand out penalties.

In addition, federal promises to hold companies responsible for hiring illegal immigrants could potentially be stymied by several other issues: Employers are still not required to check a new employee's Social Security number against a free federal database, there could be long gaps between when an employee is hired to when the warnings are issued each year, and there is no way to follow up on employees who have been fired. In many cases, illegal workers could still hop from job to job without being caught.

The only way the government can punish an employer - with fines or criminal charges - is if someone first tips them off about potential fraud and then, during the course of the investigation, authorities discover evidence that Social Security warnings have been ignored.

"There are a number of people who do come forward and tell us an employer is not conforming with the law," said Veronica Valdez, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security. "While we don't
get information directly from the Social Security Administration, we do see that we get a lot of tips."

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the department's investigative branch, will aggressively work off such tips - using, among other tactics, raids - with an eye for those who are knowingly hiring illegal immigrants, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said.

Although immigration authorities and some lawmakers say the enforcement may make a difference, those who have been up in arms over the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the country say they feel bamboozled.

Jeff Wilson, a Bay Area resident clamoring for tougher immigration enforcement, was skeptical when he heard last week about the boosted enforcement, which calls for higher fines for employers who don't fire employees caught using bogus Social Security numbers within 90 days.

"When I hear about anything the Bush administration is going to do, I don't believe it," said Wilson, who operates an anti-illegal-immigration Web site. "I think it was simply to look good. I believe in action - not words."

Advocates for immigrant rights also have taken issue with the crackdown, calling it a "scare tactic" to encourage people to return to their home countries or risk being found out by their employers.

"A lot of people may not think it's not worth staying here," said Salvador Bustamante, Northern California director of Strengthening Our Lives, which encourages civic participation among immigrants. "I think it's just a scare tactic."

Within the next few weeks, the Social Security Administration nationally will send out about 140,000 warnings - or so-called "no match" letters - to businesses with at least 10 employees whose numbers can't be verified. About 35,000 of those will go to employers in California.

The envelopes will include a separate letter from the Department Homeland Security informing companies that they may be in violation of immigration law and have 90 days to verify the employees' identities.

If they do not, the letter warns, the agency may "determine that you have violated the law by knowingly continuing to employ an unauthorized person." A first-offense fine was increased to $2,200 for each employee.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the agency would clamp down on employers who knowingly and willfully violate the law. Left untouched, however, was Section 6103 of the IRS code - a privacy provision the government has long interpreted to mean that the Social Security Administration is forbidden from sharing tax information with other agencies.

Several members of Congress, including Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks, have tried to amend the provision. Most recently the failed Senate immigration bill, which also would have granted citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants, sought to fix it.

"It would make it a lot easier," Valdez said.

Still, leaders of California industries that rely heavily on illegal labor, like agriculture and restaurants, say they aren't taking any chances. Trade groups that represent the sectors said they have strongly recommended that employers follow the new rules, regardless of the government's ability to trace its own threats.

"This is another tool in their kit," said John Gay, top lobbyist for the National Restaurant Association. The group represents about 1.4 million estimated employees in California, though it claims not to know how many are illegal immigrants. "It's easier to establish a violation with these rules."

Tom Nassif, president of the California Grower's Association, said he believes the new rules will cripple California's $32 billion agricultural industry. About 70 percent of the state's estimated 450,000 farm workers during the peak harvest season are illegal immigrants, and Nassif believes most if not all will be fired by fearful employers.

"With that dramatic a loss, I think people stop producing," he said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6643369

Why am I not surprised. I had a feeling this supposed Bush "crackdown" was just a farce to get a few "get tough" headlines for his sorry administration.

The Religious community and Democrats have some answering to do as well but as a Republican I am focusing on King George W. Bush ... you Folks go after the Dems although our Republican leadership wishes you would too

Let me remind you of some of the issues this man has us mired in. I am not letting this corrupt man King George W. Bush off of the hook that easy

Now we come to find out that Bush will not be going after employers of Illegal immigrants as hard as his last statement as well as Chertoff said they would.....That's it..........That was this Morons LAST SHOT OF CREDIBILITY

Get out of OFFICE you fraud, you flake you piece of Cow D%&@

WE DESERVE A COMPETENT LEADER

GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT

Even the Democrats don't want him impeached; Bush makes the crazy Democrats look good

King Bush has single handedly crippled the Republican Party

Republicans changing party ticket to Independent and makes even Hillary look good and I cant stand her or her husband - come on Ron Paul

The World knows your an idiot; why cant this country see it. I am a Republican and I voted for this crack pot twice. I have been humbled to the bone and will never ever vote a straight party ticket ever again

Demand to your senators to enact impeachment proceedings NOW!

- The Economy (Bush) Greenspan and the new fed goes by Bushes Guidance ... liquidity from Bush has the markets ready to collapse
- liquidity flooded the banks which fueled the housing collapse
- Sub Prime fiasco (Financed by the Fed)
- A US very, very bad recession is right around the corner IF NOT DEPRESSION
- The Rich are getting Richer; the poor are getting poorer and the middle class is being decimated
- Billions of US investor dollars lost within the last month alone in the stock market and is SCREAMING FOR A TAX PAYER BAILOUT
- Billions of foreign currency lost because of the liquidity of the Fed under Bush
- The War This is the most incompetent commander in chief ever ... almost 4,000 war dead... the injured are way to numerous to count
- He even out sorced his Job as Commander and Chief to a 3 star general.... NO Commander and Chief has ever, ever done that
- Billions and Billions spent in Iraq and nothing works
- Iran Quds force killing the best soldiers on this planet and he makes jokes as he stutters on the podium
- The Terrorist organizations are growing and now we have confirmed Terrorist that crossed into this country from Mexico
- The all volunteer force is depleted and now we are looking at opening up the draft again
- Worn out military equipment
- Exhausted Soldiers
- Veterans hospital worn out
- Illegal Immigrant invasion
- Amnesty giveaway of US benefits
- Social security to Illegal aliens
- how many citizens a day are killed by a drunk illegal alien (DUI) (Under your watch)
- How many women and little children have been raped by illegal alien predator (Under your watch)
- Wet foot Dry Foot Cubans getting 10,000 dollars after processing with ICE
- after 9/11 and the borders are not even close to being sealed
- H2 Visa mess
- Out sourcing jobs
- Off shoring corporations
- INFLATION = the Fed has cooked the books sir... You are a nut case if you expect us to believe that inflation is within 2%
- Hyper inflation right around the corner as soon as the rate cute hit
- The department of homeland security (What kind of joke is this)
- Katrina (Waist, Fraud and abuse of Billions of taxpayer dollars)
- NAFTA
- NAFTA Super highway taking funds from state DOTs to repair infrastructure like the bridge that collapsed
- The SPP
- CARL ROVE (this was supposed to be Bushes Brain) if so I hope the lobotomy worked ... this man has advised King George W. Bush on the Amnesty Issue and Social Security
- Chertoff (Just another STUPID over paid government employee) I have a gut feeling
- Border Patrol agents locked up while we give a free pass to an illegal immigrant drug smuggler (And he made a second drug run after)
- Gonzolez
- Chaney
- The Sec. of Commerce (COMPLETE IDIOT)
- The Dubai ports deal
- Harriet Myers
- Inaction on Darfur
- Tony Blair forced to resign
- International hatred of the US by 95% of the world because of you, greedy corporation's and lobbyist that you pander too

To SAY I AM POed is a Misnomer ... I am screaming at the top of my lungs

This man is corrupt to the bone... We demand you get off your thrown and drag your backside to Texico (Another place flooded with Illegal Aliens)

Go take some on-line classes because you have to be the most inept person that walks in this country

STAND UP PEOPLE.... if your not part of the solution; you are part of the problem

You Sir need to be tried by an International Court of your peers and just sentencing to occur for war crimes against humanity

Now we the People are racists because we will no loger bow to all of the crap stated above... Austa La Bye - Bye

Your not even white trash (they seem to be better bred than you)

"You can delegate Authority; but you cannot delegate Responsibility"

The Religious community and Democrats have some answering to do as well but as a Republican I am focusing on King George W. Bush ... you Folks go after the Dems although our Republican leadership wishes you would too

Let me remind you of some of the issues this man has us mired in. I am not letting this corrupt man King George W. Bush off of the hook that easy

Now we come to find out that Bush will not be going after employers of Illegal immigrants as hard as his last statement as well as Chertoff said they would.....That's it..........That was this Morons LAST SHOT OF CREDIBILITY

Get out of OFFICE you fraud, you flake you piece of Cow D%&@

WE DESERVE A COMPETENT LEADER

GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT

Even the Democrats don't want him impeached; Bush makes the crazy Democrats look good

King Bush has single handedly crippled the Republican Party

Republicans changing party ticket to Independent and makes even Hillary look good and I cant stand her or her husband - come on Ron Paul

The World knows your an idiot; why cant this country see it. I am a Republican and I voted for this crack pot twice. I have been humbled to the bone and will never ever vote a straight party ticket ever again

Demand to your senators to enact impeachment proceedings NOW!

- The Economy (Bush) Greenspan and the new fed goes by Bushes Guidance ... liquidity from Bush has the markets ready to collapse
- liquidity flooded the banks which fueled the housing collapse
- Sub Prime fiasco (Financed by the Fed)
- A US very, very bad recession is right around the corner IF NOT DEPRESSION
- The Rich are getting Richer; the poor are getting poorer and the middle class is being decimated
- Billions of US investor dollars lost within the last month alone in the stock market and is SCREAMING FOR A TAX PAYER BAILOUT
- Billions of foreign currency lost because of the liquidity of the Fed under Bush
- The War This is the most incompetent commander in chief ever ... almost 4,000 war dead... the injured are way to numerous to count
- He even out sorced his Job as Commander and Chief to a 3 star general.... NO Commander and Chief has ever, ever done that
- Billions and Billions spent in Iraq and nothing works
- Iran Quds force killing the best soldiers on this planet and he makes jokes as he stutters on the podium
- The Terrorist organizations are growing and now we have confirmed Terrorist that crossed into this country from Mexico
- The all volunteer force is depleted and now we are looking at opening up the draft again
- Worn out military equipment
- Exhausted Soldiers
- Veterans hospital worn out
- Illegal Immigrant invasion
- Amnesty giveaway of US benefits
- Social security to Illegal aliens
- how many citizens a day are killed by a drunk illegal alien (DUI) (Under your watch)
- How many women and little children have been raped by illegal alien predator (Under your watch)
- Wet foot Dry Foot Cubans getting 10,000 dollars after processing with ICE
- after 9/11 and the borders are not even close to being sealed
- H2 Visa mess
- Out sourcing jobs
- Off shoring corporations
- INFLATION = the Fed has cooked the books sir... You are a nut case if you expect us to believe that inflation is within 2%
- Hyper inflation right around the corner as soon as the rate cute hit
- The department of homeland security (What kind of joke is this)
- Katrina (Waist, Fraud and abuse of Billions of taxpayer dollars)
- NAFTA
- NAFTA Super highway taking funds from state DOTs to repair infrastructure like the bridge that collapsed
- The SPP
- CARL ROVE (this was supposed to be Bushes Brain) if so I hope the lobotomy worked ... this man has advised King George W. Bush on the Amnesty Issue and Social Security
- Chertoff (Just another STUPID over paid government employee) I have a gut feeling
- Border Patrol agents locked up while we give a free pass to an illegal immigrant drug smuggler (And he made a second drug run after)
- Gonzolez
- Chaney
- The Sec. of Commerce (COMPLETE IDIOT)
- The Dubai ports deal
- Harriet Myers
- Inaction on Darfur
- Tony Blair forced to resign
- International hatred of the US by 95% of the world because of you, greedy corporation's and lobbyist that you pander too

To SAY I AM POed is a Misnomer ... I am screaming at the top of my lungs

This man is corrupt to the bone... We demand you get off your thrown and drag your backside to Texico (Another place flooded with Illegal Aliens)

Go take some on-line classes because you have to be the most inept person that walks in this country

STAND UP PEOPLE.... if your not part of the solution; you are part of the problem

You Sir need to be tried by an International Court of your peers and just sentencing to occur for war crimes against humanity

Now we the People are racists because we will no loger bow to all of the crap stated above... Austa La Bye - Bye

Your not even white trash (they seem to be better bred than you)

"You can delegate Authority; but you cannot delegate Responsibility"

Very well said my friend, each and every word. What a freakin crack pot this son of a bitch is.