U.S. gets tougher on illegal hiring - workers with inconsistent Social Security data.

LA Times ^ | December 5, 2007 | Nicole Gaouette,

[3AngelaD]

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration on Tuesday ratcheted up its effort to crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, part of a broader attempt to deal with immigration and enforcement despite legal challenges and congressional inaction. The Department of Homeland Security told the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that it planned to appeal a decision by a federal judge in San Francisco that temporarily blocked efforts to target workers with inconsistent Social Security data -- a linchpin in the government's efforts to stem illegal immigration....the administration also announced that its aggressive pursuit of illegal immigrants who had committed crimes had led to what it was calling the first recorded decline in the "fugitive alien" population....

In the court case, the administration filed notice that it intended to appeal an injunction, issued Oct. 10 by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer, against its plan to use Social Security "no-match" letters to target firms that hire illegal workers. It was the latest step in a court battle over a proposed Homeland Security rule that would force firms to fire workers within 90 days if their Social Security information could not be verified. Many illegal immigrants use false or stolen Social Security numbers to get jobs.

"The point is that we are trying to make it harder to break the law," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said...He added that the rule would have an effect on businesses that hire undocumented workers...

"Up until now, some businesses have taken away the message that we're going to wink-wink at hiring illegal aliens," Chertoff said. "That attitude has caused the American public to become very cynical that we're going to enforce the border. This is a way of keeping faith with the American people."

[LIConFem]

Kewl.

Now how 'bout that fence?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The fact that they haven't been doing this all along leads me to believe that they have no intention of doing it now, other than issuing press releases saying that they are.

[TomGuy]

"The point is that we are trying to make it harder to break the law," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said

LOL. What does that mean????

So far for the Bush Admin, illegals breaking the law doesn't even register much interest. The illegals broke the law when they crossed the border without appropriate entry papers.

Maybe Chertoff and Company should try some real enforcement of the existing laws.

[BeckB]

“Up until now, some businesses have taken away the message that we’re going to wink-wink at hiring illegal aliens,” Chertoff said

You think? I wonder how they got that message? Maybe it’s because the government has not done anything to enforce immigrations laws up to this point.

[3AngelaD]

Actually they tried to enforce it earlier this year, and the court stopped them.

[org.whodat]

The Bush administration on Tuesday ratcheted up its effort to crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants,

Well I guess that means they picked up mitts yard man this morning, and the guy that got dog bit in new jersey. Way to go Jorge.

But in real life they haven't done squat.

[SoConPubbie]

Actually they tried to enforce it earlier this year, and the court stopped them.

And it took them until now to file an appeal?

Yea, their REAL serious about doing something about this issue!<\SARCASM>

If they were really serious about this issue, that appeal should have been issued within 2 weeks of when the Federal Appeals court put this on hold.

[AppyPappy]

If we crack down on identity, you’ll see a lot of these folks head back south. They won’t be satisfied with picking apples anymore.

[cripplecreek]

He added that the rule would have an effect on businesses that hire undocumented workers...

Sounds like a 90 day amnesty to me. Lots of illegals are going to be unhappy when they get rotated out to make room for the next batch.

[LIConFem]

Probably true. But border-busters seeking employment aren’t the only ones we should be concerned about.

[From One - Many]

yep, fresh batch of illegals, fresh illegal documents, a new 90 days to comply.

[DancesWithBolsheviks]

“The no-match rule, Avendano said, could encourage employers to simply fire workers with foreign names or use it as a pretext to fire union organizers.”
This is just silly. Presume for a moment that there is such a thing as a ‘foreign name’ in the US. Why would the employer hire them in the first place if they had an issue with someones name. Why would they need this particular pretext to fire someone for union organizing when they can make up something else?

Sending no match letters to employers will help honest employers weed out those here illegally. Dishonest employers will just fire the person and the next day hire the same person under a different name and SS number, and repeat the process every 90 days. At the end of the year the person can file 4 tax forms and perhaps all 4 of them can be below the poverty line and qualify for the EITC.

This is a good start but also does nothing about people here illegally who own their own businesses.

[gubamyster]

ping

[CottonBall]

This is a good start but also does nothing about people here illegally who own their own businesses.

True, but it's a good start. If it actually happens that is - color me skeptical. But on the other hand, somebody is hiring that illegal business-owner to do something. That then becomes that person's responsiblity to make sure whoever they hire is legal. Perhaps that would be the next step in enforcing existing laws. (Assuming this court case is overturned. I have a feeling Bush and Co wrote it purposely to be illegal, so they can say at least they tried.)

[DancesWithBolsheviks]

How do I as a consumer check if the owner of a local restaurant, or a street vendor, or my grocery store’s suppliers are legal?

[CottonBall]

How do I as a consumer check if the owner of a local restaurant, or a street vendor, or my grocery store’s suppliers are legal?

Well, what I meant in my post about phase 2 of the employer enforcement laws is that checking valid SSNs would become something accessible to everyone. A website we can can use, perhaps. Unlikely to happen, since phase one isn't even happening, but is certainly easy enough to implement once it's available for all employers.

Personally, what I do now is tell every gardener, carpet installer, or tile business that the first day of the job, everyone they send to my home has to show proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. A driver's license, birth certificate, passport, or green card works. Of course, these can all be faked but I find companies won't even take our business if we tell them the requirements, rather than try to fake it. There are so many people willing to hire illegals these days, they don't even care if they lose our sale. We've gone downhill fast.

[CottonBall]

How do I as a consumer check if the owner of a local restaurant, or a street vendor, or my grocery store’s suppliers are legal?

Oops - sorry, I forgot the specifics of your question by the time I got around to answering it. :)

I guess we can't individually. Sites like 'wehirealiens.com' and others I've heard of would work - if more people used them. Our collective conscience as a nation would have to actually care about obeying the laws and the impact of illegal immigration on our future vs. saving a few bucks.

[Kevmo]

bmflr

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Why the smart money is on Duncan Hunter
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926032/posts