Thread: Federal contractors must 'E-Verify' employees' eligibility

Federal contractors must 'E-Verify' employees' eligibility to work


Bush issues an executive order requiring companies to use an electronic verification system that is linked to the Social Security database. Critics have pointed to a 4.1% error rate in the database.

By Nicole Gaouette, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
10:16 AM PDT, June 9, 2008



WASHINGTON -- President Bush issued an executive order today requiring all federal contractors to use an electronic verification system to ensure their workers can legally work in the United States.

The move is the latest step by the administration to ratchet up enforcement of immigration laws by using tough measures, including a series of high-profile raids on work sites and factories across the country.

"Contractors that employ illegal aliens cannot rely on the continuing availability and service of those illegal workers," the administration said in a statement.

Bush administration officials last year outlined a series of steps to change immigration regulations after Congress failed to pass broad immigration reform. The administration efforts involve changes to federal regulations that are meant to make it easier for some industries to hire foreign workers. Other changes are meant to strengthen enforcement and improve immigrant assimilation.

The administration said in its statement today that companies that use its electronic verification system, known as E-Verify, will be less likely to face immigration enforcement action and therefore be more efficient and dependable. All federal agencies will be required to have contractors check their workers' status.

"Private employers that choose to contract with the federal government should meet the same standard," the administration said.

The E-Verify system is linked to the Social Security database. Critics of the system have pointed to a 4.1% error rate in the database, often a result of small discrepancies such as a misspelled name. They argue that this error rate means that millions of legal residents and citizens will be forced to prove they are legally entitled to work.

The Social Security database has discrepancies in the records of an estimated 12.7 million native-born U.S. citizens, according to the Immigration Policy Center, a pro-immigrant think tank based in Washington, D.C.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... ?track=rss

I never thought I would say it.....HOORAY for President Bush!

This is surely good news what ever it is worth.

Too bad he could not enforce our laws 7 years ago then we wouldn't have so many border hoppers in our country today.

This could effect the lawsuits pending on the E-VERIFY laws in Arizona and Oklahoma. If the US government can do this why not the states.

Did Illinois settle the law suet with DHS over the e-verify system?
(I should know, I’m here, but I don’t)

Mad, I have not heard anything about that yet. Just the notice that people could use it until further notice. Illinois was trying to work something out with DHS. I'll nose around...

So many states acting on this. We gotta get busy.

Also did everyone catch the point?

President Bush issued an executive order today requiring all federal contractors

Although good to hear, but it dose not cover the mass majority of private employers and jobs in this country!

But it’s a start!