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States Pass E-Verify Laws

Overview

Several states have passed legislation requiring employers to use E-Verify. E-Verify is an employment verification tool managed by the Department of Homeland Security that uses information from the Social Security Administration and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to determine an applicant's eligibility to work.

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Update

Washington “Respect for Law” Initiative Seeking Signatures

Updated Friday, June 12, 2009, 12:44 AM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Proponents of the immigration-reduction initiative 1043 in Washington State, also known as the Washington "Respect for Law" Act of 2009, are collecting signatures toward the 241,153 necessary to advance it for the November 2009 General Election ballot. The deadline for collecting signatures is July 2, 2009.

The initiative would require:

  • All public employers, private employers and labor organizations to utilize the online E-Verify "instant check" of name/SSN for workplace eligibility purposes;
  • State and local governments to verify legal presence through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program prior to the gifting of taxpayer-funded benefits;
    The State’s Department of Licensing to verify legal presence through SAVE prior to driver's license issuance;
  • All persons charged with a felony or DUI to have their immigration status checked;
  • That no public employee be inhibited from cooperating with federal immigration authorities (anti-sanctuary city measure); and
  • State and local governments to participate in the Federal 287(g) program, which confers authority to enforce immigration laws.

Proponents encourage all Washington State registered voters to contact Respect Washington for an I-1043 petition: info@RespectWashington.us or (206) 935-3505. To read I-1043 or donate to the effort, click here to visit the Respect Washington web site, then click either on “The Petition” or “Volunteer/Donate.”

Respect Washington must mail signed petitions to the Secretary of State by Monday, June 29th to ensure their timely arrival. After June 29, individuals seeking to submit signed petitions are asked to phone (206) 935-3505 for further instructions.

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Polls

Gannett Poll Finds NJ Residents Oppose Rewards for Illegal Aliens

Oppose Rewards for Illegal Migration - Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Sixty-two percent of state residents oppose granting illegal immigrants some type of limited driver's license, according to a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll.

Only 32 percent said children of illegal immigrants deserved in-state tuition rates, while 20 percent favored the lower rates for illegal immigrants themselves.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20090324/NEWS01/903240343/1006/

In the News

Leaders mulling verification law

Quoted - Wednesday, September 30, 2009

As of April, the most recent date for which statistics are available, 12 states had passed laws requiring some or all employers to use E-Verify in hiring new employees. Five states had E-Verify laws under discussion by their legislatures, according to NumbersUSA, a political action committee concerned with immigration issues.

Betty Mitchell Gray - Washington Daily News

http://www.wdnweb.com/articles/2009/09/30/news/doc4ac28bf9bb6b1943961843.txt

Governor of Arizona Is in Line for Cabinet

Quoted - Friday, November 21, 2008

"My first thought is that Obama could do a lot worse," said Roy Beck, president of Numbers USA, a policy group in the Washington area, who went on to praise Ms. Napolitano’s law enforcement background while denouncing her support for a guest worker program as "amnesty."

Randal C. Archibold, New York Times, 20 November 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/us/politics/21napolitano.html?_r=1&ref=us

Amnesty lobby is immigration Goliath

Quoted - Monday, May 14, 2007

"The money and the lobbying power is stacked against us," said a representative of NumbersUSA. "This is an issue that people see and experience the effects of on an everyday basis. There is definitely a very powerful grass-roots activism on this issue."

NumbersUSA has more than 300,000 activists sending faxes and calling Congress, an increase from 100,000 two years ago. More than 1 million people receive e-mail alerts from the group.

Politico.com

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=8CD543A4-3048-5C12-00D21E1EA5580F60

LTE: Anti-illegal immigration bill working

In the News - Sunday, October 18, 2009

The bill works by simply requiring employers to run new employees through the federal E-Verify database to determine if they are legal residents. Employers have had the opportunity to use this database for some time and many concerned employers did. Unfortunately, most did not.

Mississippi Sen. Michael Watson

http://www.gulflive.com/opinion/mississippipress/letters.ssf?/base/opinion/1255860946104390.xml&coll=5

Runestad: E-Verify system protects Mich. workers

In the News - Thursday, August 27, 2009

On Aug. 19, I testified before the Michigan House Judiciary Committee on behalf of House Bills 4355 and 4969. HB 4355 would require that state and local governments in Michigan use E-Verify in order to make sure that all new hires are eligible to work in the U.S. HB 4969 would extend that requirement to employment agencies that refer applicants for employment with the government.

E-Verify is a free software program that employers use to check whether or not an employee is legally authorized to work in the U.S. Information about eligibility status is already required from all employees on I-9 Forms. E-Verify simply takes that information and checks it against the Social Security database; a much more effective process.

E-Verify is fast, easy to use and extremely reliable. E-Verify protects American workers by making it difficult for employers to hire illegal aliens.

Oakland County (Mich.) Commissioner Jim Runestad -- Lansing State Journal

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090827/OPINION02/908270334/1087/OPINION02

L.A. County may require contractors to use E-Verify

In the News - Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Los Angeles County is exploring the possibility of requiring future contractors to participate in a federal program that checks whether employees are legal residents authorized to work in the United States.

The Board of Supervisors voted 5 to 0 Tuesday to have county officials review E-Verify and make a recommendation on mandating the program for contractors, which could include drug treatment facilities, construction companies and foster family agencies.

By Anna Gorman and Molly Hennessy-Fiske -- Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-everify26-2009aug26,0,3380249.story

Oakland County approves worker verification system

In the News - Thursday, July 30, 2009

Companies providing services to Oakland County government will have to use a federal system to insure their employees are legally entitled to work in the United States.

The Oakland County Commission this morning approved a new policy requiring service vendors to use the federal E-Verify program, to avoid hiring illegal workers.

By John Wisely - Detroit Free Press

http://www.freep.com/article/20090730/NEWS03/90730029/Oakland-County-approves-worker-verification-system

E-Verify works

In the News - Tuesday, July 28, 2009

New statistics on E-Verify suggest that keeping illegal aliens out of U.S. jobs is a goal increasingly within reach.

The Center for Immigration Studies has made available updated Department of Homeland Security numbers that make plain the effectiveness and growing use of the federal electronic system, through which employers can distinguish illegal aliens from legitimate job applicants.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_635539.html

Carcieri commends Obama's support of E-Verify

In the News - Thursday, July 9, 2009

Governor Carcieri, who has led the charge in Rhode Island to crack down on illegal immigration, applauded the Obama administration Thursday afternoon for mandating that federal contractors confirm the immigration status of employees. The program goes into effect in September.

It was Carcieri who in 2008 signed an executive order that in part required state agencies and vendors to use the federal E-Verify program to ensure that new hires are allowed to work in the U.S.

By Cynthia Needham -- Providence Journal

http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/07/carcieri-commen.html

Idaho agencies must show workers are legal if they want federal economic stimulus money

In the News - Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Gov. Butch Otter has signed an executive order requiring state agencies to prove they are employing only legally documented workers if they want a share of the state's $1.24 billion in federal economic stimulus money.

The order also requires contractors and subcontractors on state projects to prove their employees are legal.

Associated Press

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/790131.html

More companies use immigration database

In the News - Monday, June 1, 2009

What do Continental Airlines, the Houston Ballet, the city of Dallas and Sen. John Cornyn all have in common?

They all use the federal government’s E-Verify program to check if their employees are authorized to work in the U.S. legally.

A Department of Homeland Security database of the more than 118,000 public, private and government employers enrolled in E-Verify as of May 1 shows companies big (Tyson Foods) and small (the Ballard Street Café in Wylie) are signed up for the program.

By Susan Carroll -- Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/special/immigration/6451732.html

Ohio Lawmaker to Push E-Verify

In the News - Thursday, May 14, 2009

Legislation proposed by state Rep. Courtney Combs would require public and private employers to register with E-Verify, currently a voluntary federal program operated by the Social Security Administration and United States Department of Homeland Security.

By Travis Gettys -- WLWT.com

http://www.wlwt.com/news/19463170/detail.html

Missouri lawmakers vote to reject federal Real ID Act

In the News - Wednesday, May 13, 2009

"Missouri lawmakers on Wednesday voted to direct the Department of Revenue to not comply with federal driver’s license requirements.

The federal Real ID Act, passed in 2005, requires states to collect and verify certain information about applicants for driver’s licenses and state ID cards. It was passed in response to national security concerns after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

But some Missouri lawmakers argue Real ID is an unwelcome intrusion into privacy and requires several new technologies that could increase the risk of identity theft...."

Lee Logan, AP, 13 May 2009

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1195917.html