NTF ISSUE PAPER: MAKE E-VERIFY MANDATORY FOR BUSINESSES

NTF Issue paper: illegal98.doc. 8-18.
NEBRASKA TAXPAYERS FOR FREEDOM ISSUE PAPER:
MAKE E-VERIFY MANDATORY FOR BUSINESSES.

BACKGROUND. Many U.S. and NE employers already use the federal E-Verify system to verify legality of their employees. In NE, all businesses that conduct commercial activity with the state must use the E-Verify system to screen out illegal aliens. Fiscal conservatives long have awaited successful state and national legislation to require ALL employers to utilize this system to protect legal NE workers. Conservative Cong. Diane Black (Tenn.) introduced HR 6318, to place the interests of U.S. citizens first and legal immigrants ahead of illegal aliens.

THE BILL. This bill would require all businesses to use E-Verify and make illegally crossing the border a felony for 1st-time offenders, reflecting the zero tolerance policy of President Trump. Black declared, ”
By no longer creating incentives to come to our country unlawfully, we also discourage families from sending their children on an often dangerous journey to reach our southern border. President Trump has been clear about illegal immigration from day one, and we know that he is committed to protecting our nation for future generations. We must do all we can to deter the criminal abuse of our border – it has gone on for far too long.” Our current immigration policies reward illegal aliens with job opportunities and welfare services for families of illegal alien workers. Now, an illegal alien arrested a first time merits only a misdemeanor, resulting in a jail sentence of less than 6 months. HR 6318 would increase the punishment to a felony classification with additional jail time of 1 year and 1 day. A felony record would prevent a person from entering legally and getting a green card, chilling the impulse of job thieves. Cooperation among federal, state, and local governments is the bedrock of effective immigration enforcement. Nonetheless, several law enforcement agencies, local governments, and states around the country have enacted policies to restrict or prohibit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. These sanctuary ordinances, directives, and practices undermine enforcement of U.S. immigration law by impeding state and local officials, including law enforcement officers, from asking individuals about their immigration status, reporting them to the federal government, or otherwise cooperating with or aiding federal immigration officials. These policies are dangerous, frequently resulting in the release of illegal, criminal aliens into the U.S. to prey on our citizens instead of deporting them to their home countries. The bill would deny all federal funding, like money for community development and public works, to a jurisdiction that refuses to comply with ICE requests to verify the immigration status of individuals detained by local policing agencies. HR 6318 also would reauthorize E-Verify, safeguard our Social Security numbers from fraudulent use by illegal aliens, and prevent ID theft. The E-Verify provision would require every employer of 15 or more employees to use this verification system within 1 year and require all employers to trace all current employees through the system within 3 years. The legislation also would increase penalties for businesses that fail to use the system. Noncompliance would earn a fine of from $5,000 to $10,000 for a first offense and a fine from $10,000 to $25,000 for subsequent offenses. The bill would require the Commissioner of Social Security, the Sec. of Homeland Security, and the Sec. of the Treasury to share information with localities that would help identify illegal workers.

ITS PROGRESS. The bill currently is in the House Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees.

SUPPORT. The prominent Federation for American Immigration Reform, Numbers USA, and other immigration reform organizations endorsed the bill.

TAKE ACTION NOW. This legislation will provide solutions to several serious immigration problems, job insecurity for legal employees, sanctuary city stubbornness, and repeated illegal entry into the U.S. Lobby your congressman to support HR 6318, sign on as a co-sponsor, and vote YES to pass this critical legislation. Email netaxpayers@gmail.com for congressional contact information.

Research, documentation, and analysis for this issue paper done by Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom. This material copyrighted by Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom, with express prior permission granted for its use by other groups in the NE Conservative Coalition Network. 8-18. C