BYU NewsNet - E-verify program would prohibit employers from hiring illegals

President Barack Obama has delayed, for the fourth time this year, the implementation of a federal requirement that would make businesses use the E-Verify system to ensure that potential employees are not illegal immigrants.

The requirement was initially issued as an executive order last year by President George W. Bush and was to go into effect at the beginning of this year. However, the Obama administration has postponed the implementation in order to review the necessity of it, according to the White House

E-Verify is an online system set up to allow employers to easily and quickly check an applicant’s legal status in the United States. It provides an automatic link to federal databases where employers can determine employment eligibility and status of Social Security numbers. Currently, federal contractors are required to use E-Verify to check prospective and current employee eligibility statuses.

More than 128,000 public, private and government employees are enrolled in the program as of June 6 and an average of about 1,000 more employees join each week, said Maria Garcia-Upson, Regional Media Manager of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

However, the delay by the Obama administration may create a lack of enthusiasm for the program.

“The record of this administration says the last thing in the world they want to do is enforce immigration laws and they have made that very clear,” said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform. “They curtailed all enforcement efforts, and the last thing they want is a viable system in place to screen someone who is legally not allowed to hold a job.”

Mehlman said he believes postponing E-Verify, and ultimately allowing illegal immigration, comes at the expense of exploited Americans.

“Illegal immigrants come here primarily for jobs that are available, that employers want to hire them ... because they will work more cheaply,” Mehlman said. “Until you can make it more clear to people that no one will hire you if you’re not legal, we will continue to have large-scale immigration.”

Although it is currently just a voluntary program, some states have already passed legislation making it mandatory for employers to use E-Verify. In Utah, Senate Bill 81 which is scheduled to be enacted July 1, will require employers, public contractors and subcontractors to use E-Verify and also makes it illegal to discharge a legal employee while retaining an undocumented worker in the same position.

Tony Yapias, a local activist in the Hispanic community, said the Obama administration is setting the trend of immigration reform by postponing the implementation of the E-verify program.

“This administration didn’t re-approve it for a reason. I believe immigration reform is going to happen,” Yapias said. “As far as SB81, the only thing we’re really concerned about is the racial profiling; everything else is really toothless.”