Thread: Pa. Bill to crack down on illegal workers gains support

Pa. Bill to crack down on illegal workers gains support
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG -- An effort to crack down on illegal immigrant workers who are getting jobs in the construction industry in Pennsylvania, often at low wages and without benefits, picked up key support from two Republican senators Monday.

Sens. Chuck McIlhinney, of Bucks, and Kim Ward, of Westmoreland, are supporting two bills introduced by another Bucks legislator, Democratic Rep. John Galloway, and overwhelmingly approved by the House last week.

House Bills 1502 and 1503 would require building contractors and subcontractors to verify their workers' identities using an online database called E-Verify run by the Department of Homeland Security. The system is based on Social Security numbers and can confirm that such workers are in the U.S. legally.

Failure to make sure that the immigrants haven't come here illegally would mean a contractor couldn't bid on state contracts and could lose their state-issued construction license and thus the ability to bid on private contracts.

"The construction industry has been hard hit by the recession, and we must do more to help hard-working construction workers get back into the work force," Mr. McIlhinney said.

Ms. Ward said the two bills require contractors "to use a labor force that is in this country legally. It will result in better workplace safety, ensure a qualified work force and guarantee that contractors and their employees are paying their proper taxes."

The future of the two bills in the Senate is still uncertain, however, as some chambers of commerce are opposed, and the American Civil Liberties Union thinks the E-Verify system isn't accurate and fears it could lead to computer hackers exploiting people's online Social Security numbers. But since Republicans control the chamber 30-20, support from two Republicans could be significant.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10166/1065620-454.stm

Republicans support E-verify. Republicans will or should support these bills overwhelmingly. Why would there be any doubt about that?! Wake Up Pennsylvania Republicans! Get to the microphones and announce your unanimous support for these bills! Then introduce an Arizona immigration bill and get these illegal aliens out of your state so we can get them out of our country. Geez.