E-Verify

Clark County employers weigh pros, cons of E-Verify

After a day picking cherries on his 180-acre Vancouver farm, Bill Zimmerman’s 20 or so workers leave with dirt-coated fingernails, sweat-stained clothes and aches and pains from being on their feet all day.

There are many people willing to do whatever it takes to land this $14-per-hour job, including falsifying documents. Zimmerman knows this, and it has led him to consider a controversial solution -- the E-Verify program.

In increasing numbers, Clark County employers in the public and private sector are embracing E-Verify to eliminate doubts about their workforces’ eligibility to work in the United States. But in the context of this country’s heated immigration debate, the program has more than its share of detractors who question whether it unfairly targets people and industries, such as agriculture, that rely on migrant workers.

E-Verify aids employers by using information reported on new employees’ Form I-9 to determine whether they are eligible to work in this country. The Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration operate the program, which does not verify pre-existing workers’ employment eligibility.

Nineteen U.S. states require E-Verify checks in some form -- whether that includes checks on state employees, contractors and/or some combination of public and private employees.

The state of Washington does not require E-Verify use on any level, but the Clark County Board of Commissioners and the county’s seven cities have passed ordinances mandating use of the program for city employees and/or contractors on public works projects. A bill in the State House is seeking to stop cities and counties from mandating the program’s use.

To proponents, E-Verify is a godsend. It’s free, easy to use for anyone with an Internet connection and protects American employers and employees, they say. The Center for Immigration Studies, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank based in Washington, D.C., supports the program.

“One of the major draws of illegal immigration is employment,” said Bryan Griffith, the center’s spokesman. “(E-Verify) effectively cuts off that draw.”

Skepticism also abounds. The program’s error rate is troubling, opponents say. So is the potential for E-Verify to damage industries that rely on workers who falsify documents, if the program is not coupled with major immigration reform. E-Verify stops illegal immigrants from working, but at what cost, opponents ask.

E-Verify’s genesis

E-Verify’s roots can be traced back 26 years to the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which required employers to examine each new employee’s documentation and also brought about Form I-9, an employment verification form United States employers must complete and retain for all employees in this country.

In 1997, employers in select states became able to compare employee’s records against federal records, courtesy of the Basic Pilot Program.

The Basic Pilot Program became E-Verify in 2007 -- the same year America’s illegal immigration total reached 12 million residents for the first time, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. The newly christened program included improvements to reduce information errors prevalent in Basic Pilot Program’s early days.

Presently, 1,000 to 1,500 employers in America sign up to use E-Verify each week, according to Bill Wright, a spokesman with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Employers made 5.4 million queries from October 2011 to Jan. 21, Wright noted.

Some E-Verify opponents have raised concerns about the government using the program to stockpile information about employees.

E-Verify supporters stress the program does not create a database nor does it compromise workers’ privacy because it relies on information already provided to employers, such as a driver’s license, United States passport, green card, or an Employment Authorization Card.

“This system is designed to protect the privacy of workers,” Wright said. He added, “If somebody’s doing something illegally using a false identity or false documents, you betcha this system discriminates against them. For those doing it the right way the system is set up not to discriminate.”

Opponents argue it does the opposite.

Error rate

E-Verify confirms 98 percent of applicants within the first 24 hours. Federal officials say 1.43 percent of applicants are ultimately rejected, but just how many of those rejections result from a systemic mistake is hard to know.

National studies have revealed E-Verify’s error rate at 1 percent. Workers targeted in error must contact the Social Security Administration to fix the mistake.

A Department of Homeland Security report on E-Verify found “legal workers are a significant number of times more likely to be discriminated against because there is an error in the system,” said Pramila Jayapal, executive of OneAmerica, the state’s largest immigrant advocacy group.

The error rate not only hurts employees, who are flagged as ineligible, but also hurts employers, who must find workers to complete projects in a timely manner, said Andrew Langer, president of Institute for Liberty, a Washington, D.C.-based anti-regulation group.

“It is unfair for everybody involved,” Langer said.

For the reasons Langer listed, Washington state contractors, who employ 200,000 people each year, are skittish about E-Verify.

“One percent comes out to be a pretty big number,” said Rick Slunaker, director of government affairs for the Associated General Contractors of Washington.

The federal government hears industries’ concerns, Wright assured, noting a new photo component could reduce errors.

‘Economic disaster’

In other cases, E-Verify might work too well.

The Washington Growers League fears E-Verify would eliminate 70 percent of the state’s agriculture workforce, if implemented without significant immigration reform.

E-Verify would stamp out industry workers using false paperwork, said Mike Gempler, director of the Washington Growers League. It would also put undue pressure on farmers who hire hundreds of workers a few days before the season starts, he noted.

“The bottom line is, if we do E-Verify by itself, we will not have enough of a workforce and we will have an economic disaster,” Gempler said.

State farmers have known they employed illegal workers for “a long time,” Gempler added, but have struggled to do anything about it because of worker shortages.

The agriculture industry is faced with an ethical dilemma, said Vandra Huber, a professor at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.

“They can continue (hiring illegal workers) because they have a need or they can start using E-Verify and take proactive steps,” Huber said. The alternative is “closing (their) eyes to who is legal or illegal” until authorities crack down, she noted.

On his Glenwood-area farm, Zimmerman is cognizant of such a crackdown. He estimated 5 to 10 percent of the prospective employees he screened were illegal. The tedious path to work visas and employment authorization makes him doubtful the number of illegal immigrants populating the industry will change.

Protecting jobs?

National unemployment hovered around 8.5 percent in December 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

How much E-Verify protects American jobs depends on whether you believe Americans are willing to pick cherries or apples or work in the cramped quarters of a restaurant kitchen.

In many cases, illegal workers perform jobs most Americans do not want, Langer said.

“The problem is people who come and break the law -- drug dealing, theft, etc.,” Langer said. “Those people are not going to be general contractors -- hanging drywall, plaster, etc.”

The restaurant industry, like the agriculture industry, is watching the E-Verify issue, said Anthony Anton, president/CEO of the Washington Restaurant Association.

Whether restaurants use E-Verify or not often depends on turnover rates and how well those doing the hiring know prospective employees, he noted.

Anton personally favors a federal answer that would provide people a path to citizenship that would also address national security concerns.

“There are those who say ‘throw everybody out’ and there are those that say ‘let everybody in,’” Anton said. “It’s like everything else -- we need a comprehensive solution.”

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House Leadership kills SB 4052

Alert date: 
February 11, 2012
Alert body: 
Despite the failure to advance HB 4052, people in legislature are aware of the fact that the vast majority of citizens want the State of Oregon to hire only people who are legally able to work in the U.S. Citizens who expect common sense bills to be passed by their legislators flooded the capitol with phone calls, emails and visitors requesting a hearing for HB 4052.
 
Because there is an even split between Republicans and Democrats in the House, they have two co-speakers, one Democrat, (Arnie Roblan) and one Republican, (Bruce Hanna). If either of the two co-chairs objects to a bill it will die.
Rep. Roblan is opposed to E-Verify and HB 4052 did not advance in the 2012 session.
 
However, the two co-speakers refer bills to committees. In the case of HB 4052 it was referred to the Judiciary Committee which also has two co-chairs.
Both of the Judiciary Co-Chairs - Rep. Jeff Barker (D) and Rep. Wayne Krieger (R), are in favor of HB 4052. Barker was even a co-signer of the bill.
However they don't have the final call on whether a bill will get a hearing. The leadership of both parties must agree on a bill in order for it to be scheduled for a hearing. The leadership of the Democrat Party is opposed to HB 4052 and it died in this session.
 

The House Leadership made the call not to give HB 4052 a Hearing. Although Co-Speaker Arnie Roblan told inquirers that the decision was up to the two Co-Chairs of the Judiciary Committee, that is not credible because we know Co-Chair Wayne Krieger (R-Gold Beach) supported the bill, and the other Co-Chair, Jeff Barker (D-Aloha) actually was a sponsor of the bill. The Leadership of the House, as shown at http://www.leg.state.or.us/house/consists of the following people. Of those listed we believe Co-Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Andy Olson was in favor of the bill, but the other persons listed, so far as we know, have not given a clear-cut statement of their positions, except for Roblan who did make his opposition known.

 

House of Representatives Leadership:
Co-Speaker of the House Bruce Hanna - (R-Roseburg)
Co-Speaker of the House Arnie Roblan - (D-Coos Bay)

Co-Speaker Pro Tempore Representative Peter Buckley - (D-Ashland)
Co-Speaker Pro Tempore Representative Andy Olson - (R-Albany)

House Republican Leader Representative Kevin Cameron - (R-Salem)
House Democratic Leader Representative Tina Kotek- (D-N/NE Portland)

House Democratic Caucus | House Republican Caucus

 


 

Ask the real, tough questions of Presidential candidates

Take advantage of the opportunities available to influence immigration policy throughout the current presidential campaigns. All major candidates have websites with Contact Us links.  Visit those websites and ask the tough questions that aren't often asked in debates or on the campaign trail.

Check out this page on the NumbersUSA website: https://www.numbersusa.com/content/action/2012-presidential-hopefuls-imm...

NumbersUSA posts continuously updated information on the immigration positions of presidential candidates. You can click on the photo of a candidate and get a long list of quotes the candidate has made on immigration issues. Then you can contact the candidate from addresses provided at NumbersUSA's website, and give your views on how the candidate should change or improve his positions.

You can encourage your favorites and give them any information you may have to help them in discussing immigration policy. All major party candidates' records, including President Obama's, are available on the NumbersUSA website.

Iimmigration has become a topic that is taken seriously in the campaign.  Candidates have moved significantly both up and down in polls based on their answers to immigration questions.

Ask candidates, that if they are elected, would they support mandatory E-verify for all employers.  Ask candidates about their views on securing the border, attrition through enforcement, chain migration, anchor babies (birthright citizenship) excessive legal immigration of low skilled workers...the list is endless.  If you get a reply, please share it with OFIR!

  Read more about Ask the real, tough questions of Presidential candidates

Senator Merkley to hold several Town Halls

If a townhall meeting is being held near you, please attend and ask questions about immigration issues. His website announces: "Senator Merkley will update constituents on his work in Washington, DC and answer their questions and invite their suggestions about how to tackle the challenges facing Oregon and America." Below is the schedule of Senator Merkley’s Town Halls.

This at a time of unprecedented joblessness and economic hardship! Sen. Merkley is inviting suggestions, so please suggest to him that legal immigration levels should be coming down now, not going up.  Ask Senator Merkely to support a mandatory national E-Verify, too, so any newly created jobs go only to US citizens or legal workers, not illegal immigrants. You can Senator Merkley at the Town Halls or by phone or email or at the addresses below. You can call the Senator's office to confirm dates and places of the Town Halls if you wish.

If you get the opportunity to ask Senator Merkley a question, please let OFIR know how he responds.

February 18, 2012 1:30PM - YAMHILL COUNTY TOWN HALL
Sheridan Japanese School
430 SW Monroe St.
Sheridan, OR 97378

February 18, 2012 4:30PM - POLK COUNTY TOWN HALL
Straub Middle School
1920 Wilmington Avenue NW
Salem, OR 97304

February 19, 2012 1:30PM - HOOD RIVER COUNTY TOWN HALL
The Gorge Pavillion, Port of Cascade Locks Marine Park
355 WaNaPa Street
Cascade Locks, OR 97014

February 19, 2012 7:00PM - LANE COUNTY TOWN HALL
Cottage Grove City Hall, City Council Chambers
400 Main Street
Cottage Grove, OR 97424 Read more about Senator Merkley to hold several Town Halls

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Your chance to make a difference!

Representative Kim Thatcher has introduced a simple, common sense bill that will require all Oregon government entities to use the FREE Federal E-Verify program to ensure any new state employees are citizens or legal workers.  Simply put, all tax funded state jobs would go to Oregon's citizens and legal workers and not illegal aliens.  Please call you Legislator and politely ask them to support House Bill 4052 in this session of the Legislature.  Oregon's legal workforce should not have to compete with illegal aliens for jobs funded by taxpayers.

The sponsors for HB 4052 are Representatives. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer; Jeff Barker, D-Aloha; Vicki Berger, R-Salem; Katie Eyre Brewer, R-Hillsboro; Sal Esquivel, R-Medford; Tim Freeman, R-Roseburg; Sherrie Sprenger, R-Scio; Jim Thompson, R-Dallas; Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver; and Matt Wingard,R-Wilsonville.

NOTE: This bill has been assigned to the Judiciary Committee

Go to:  http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/      Read more about Your chance to make a difference!

Our foot is in the door in the 2012 Legislative session

Outlined below are the the highlights of HB 4052.  Call your Legislator and politely ask that they support and pass this bill during the 2012 Oregon Legislature.  It is unconscienable to think that American citizens and legal workers must compete with illegal aliens for tax funded jobs.

 

State Representative Kim Thatcher - House District 25

House Bill 4052 - Require E-Verify for State Agencies

2012 Oregon Legislative Session

 

  • Require all state agencies in Oregon to use the federal E-verify employment screening program before hiring new workers after January 1, 2013 to help ensure taxpayer funded services are provided by a legal workforce.

 

  • Requires all state agencies to submit annual reports on use of E-verify based on July 1 fiscal year calendar to Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS). A comprehensive report on all agencies use of E-verify will be compiled by DAS and sent to the legislative branch by Oct 1st each year.

 

  • Establishes 9 member legislative task force, including members of local agencies, to explore use of E-verify by local governments in Oregon. Report back to legislature by October 1, 2012.
     

  • E-Verify is an Internet-based system operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) & the Social Security Administration (SSA). E-Verify is free to employers providing an automated link to federal databases to help employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
     

  • Around a dozen other states currently require the use of E-verify for state agencies, state contractors or both. Arizona’s E-verify law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year.

 

  • A few state agencies in Oregon currently use the program for some or all of their workforce including State Parks, Fish and Wildlife, and Corrections Enterprises.
     

  • 15 Oregon Counties currently use E-verify in their hiring process.
     

  • DAS believes there would be a minimal fiscal impact to compile the annual report called for in this proposed legislation.
     

  • With unemployment still hovering around 9% in Oregon, our state agencies should lead by example, using tools which offer a better chance of hiring people who are in our country legally.

 

  • Since federal law prohibits employers in the United States from hiring illegal immigrants this legislation would help enforce a federal policy.

 

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Abortion, immigration changes among new 2012 laws

Girls seeking abortions in New Hampshire must first tell their parents or a judge, some employers in Alabama must verify new workers' U.S. residency, and California students will be the first in the country to receive mandatory lessons about the contributions of gays and lesbians under state laws set to take effect at the start of 2012.

Many laws reflect the nation's concerns over immigration, the cost of government and the best way to protect and benefit young people, including regulations on sports concussions.

Alabama, with the country's toughest immigration law, is enacting a key provision requiring all employers who do business with any government entity to use a federal system known as E-Verify to check that all new employees are in the country legally.

Georgia is putting a similar law into effect requiring any business with 500 or more employees to use E-Verify to check the employment eligibility of new hires. The requirement is being phased in, with all employers with more than 10 employees to be included by July 2013. Supporters said they wanted to deter illegal immigrants from coming to Georgia by making it tougher for them to work. Critics said that changes to immigration law should come at the federal level and that portions of the law already in effect are already hurting Georgia.

Tennessee will also require businesses to ensure employees are legally authorized to work in the U.S. but exempts employers with five or fewer workers and allows them to keep a copy of the new hire's driver's license instead of using E-Verify.

A South Carolina law would allow officials to yank the operating licenses of businesses that don't check new hires' legal status through E-verify. A federal judge last week blocked parts of the law that would have required police to check the immigration status of criminal suspects or people stopped for traffic violations they think might be in the country illegally, and that would have made it a crime for illegal immigrants to transport or house themselves.

California is also addressing illegal immigration, but  with a bill that allows students who entered the country illegally to receive private financial aid at public colleges. Read more about Abortion, immigration changes among new 2012 laws

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