"Kris Stuebner, director of administration for the Fresno-based JEM, said the company started using the system because of the concern over hiring a legal work force. "We wanted to do the right thing," Stuebner said.

And while the system allows the company to check an employee's work status by quickly verifying a person's Social Security number and name, it's not without challenges, said Stuebner, who attended a seminar about E-Verify on Tuesday. The event, held at the Piccadilly Inn in Fresno, was sponsored by the California Employers Association...."

"Mr. Bilbray and Mr. Shuler have launched a campaign to circumvent the obstructionists by getting 218 signatures on a discharge petition that would permit the legislation to come to the House floor for a vote - regardless of what the speaker wants. The congressmen need 218 signatures on their petition; right now, they have 188. Only 10 of those 188 signers are Democrats, and they run the risk of retaliation from the Democratic Party leadership...."

Something unorthodox occurred on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. The House Republican leadership began pushing a “discharge petition” — a procedural maneuver designed to force a floor vote — on a piece of Democratic legislation. The bill in question is the SAVE Act, authored by freshmen Congressman Heath Shuler (D., N.C.). As written, the SAVE Act’s most notable provisions would add 8,000 border-patrol agents, and within four years mandate that businesses use a government program to verify the legal citizenship of all employees...

... we joined together to craft the Secure America with Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act. The SAVE Act provides a three-pronged approach to curb illegal immigration: enhanced border security, employment verification and dramatically increased enforcement of our nation's existing laws...

... Rep. Thelma Drake (R-Va.), backed by her leaders, filed the discharge petition calling for a vote on the Shuler bill, which would add 8,000 border guards to the federal payroll, expedite the deportation of illegal immigrants and expand an existing database for employers to check the eligibility of a potential worker. ...

Minority Whip Roy Blunt , R-Mo., said he expects about 100 Republicans to sign the petition by Rep. Thelma Drake , R-Va., which seeks to bring to the House floor border enforcement legislation introduced by Rep. Heath Shuler , D-N.C. Shuler’s bill has 141 cosponsors — 93 Republicans and 48 Democrats. But it is not clear how many Democrats will sign the discharge petition. The petition represents a direct challenge to their party’s leaders, who have not embraced Shuler’s bill.