REP. CALVERT PRAISES E-VERIFY, 100,000 EMPLOYERS NOW PARTICIPATING
March 30, 2009
Press Release
Today Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA) praised the announcement by the Department of Homeland Security that 100,000 employers are now participating in E-Verify.
"E-Verify provides assurance to employers that they are hiring legal workers and it denies U.S. jobs to illegal immigrants," said Rep. Calvert. "If we are truly going to control our borders, it is imperative that we cut off the job magnet. The need for E-Verify is even more pronounced during tough economic times when Americans are losing their jobs."
Rep. Calvert was the original author of the bill that created E-Verify in 1996. Over the last 11 years, E-Verify has evolved from a humble five state pilot program to a nationwide voluntary program. The States of Mississippi and Arizona have made E-Verify mandatory for all employers.
E-Verify is 99.5% accurate and 94.2% of checks to the system receive an instant "green light" to work. For individuals who receive a tentative non-confirmation, they have eight business days to contact SSA or DHS. DHS has also implemented the Photo Tool program for non-citizens (legal residents authorized to work in the U.S.) which allows employers to check the photo presented on the Employment Authorization Document with the photo in the DHS database.
A recent study by the Center on Immigration Studies shows that 1.3 million illegal immigrants have left the U.S. since the summer of 2007, mostly due to increased border and worksite enforcement (Christian Science Monitor, 7/31/08, Tide of illegal immigrants now being reversed). In addition to the government crackdown on illegal immigration, the economic downturn is dramatically slowing immigration to the U.S., according to data from the Census Bureau. (Wall Street Journal, 9/23/08, Immigration Slows in Face of Economic Downturn).
On Monday Rep. Calvert introduced H.R. 19 which would make E-Verify mandatory for all employers in the United States.
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"E-Verify provides assurance to employers that they are hiring legal workers and it denies U.S. jobs to illegal immigrants," said Rep. Calvert. "If we are truly going to control our borders, it is imperative that we cut off the job magnet. The need for E-Verify is even more pronounced during tough economic times when Americans are losing their jobs."
Rep. Calvert was the original author of the bill that created E-Verify in 1996. Over the last 11 years, E-Verify has evolved from a humble five state pilot program to a nationwide voluntary program. The States of Mississippi and Arizona have made E-Verify mandatory for all employers.
E-Verify is 99.5% accurate and 94.2% of checks to the system receive an instant "green light" to work. For individuals who receive a tentative non-confirmation, they have eight business days to contact SSA or DHS. DHS has also implemented the Photo Tool program for non-citizens (legal residents authorized to work in the U.S.) which allows employers to check the photo presented on the Employment Authorization Document with the photo in the DHS database.
A recent study by the Center on Immigration Studies shows that 1.3 million illegal immigrants have left the U.S. since the summer of 2007, mostly due to increased border and worksite enforcement (Christian Science Monitor, 7/31/08, Tide of illegal immigrants now being reversed). In addition to the government crackdown on illegal immigration, the economic downturn is dramatically slowing immigration to the U.S., according to data from the Census Bureau. (Wall Street Journal, 9/23/08, Immigration Slows in Face of Economic Downturn).
On Monday Rep. Calvert introduced H.R. 19 which would make E-Verify mandatory for all employers in the United States.
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