September, 08 2009, 05:33pm EDT
Federal Contractors Now Required To Use Flawed E-Verify Database
Mandatory Employment Eligibility Check Could Lead To Discrimination, Says ACLU
WASHINGTON
Starting
today, the executive branch will require all federal contractors and
subcontractors, including those receiving stimulus funds, to check
workers' employment eligibility with the highly flawed E-Verify
database. The administration's expansion of E-Verify without correcting
the defects in the database system will lead to unnecessary harm to
U.S. workers and couldlead to discrimination against workers who are
perceived to be foreign born.
The
E-Verify system is based on the Homeland Security and Social Security
Administration databases, which have unacceptably high error rates
involving U.S. citizens' records. Discrepancies between workers' Social
Security numbers and Social Security Administration records can result
from many innocent factors including clerical errors, name changes due
to marriage or divorce or the common use of multiple surnames.
E-Verify system is based on the Homeland Security and Social Security
Administration databases, which have unacceptably high error rates
involving U.S. citizens' records. Discrepancies between workers' Social
Security numbers and Social Security Administration records can result
from many innocent factors including clerical errors, name changes due
to marriage or divorce or the common use of multiple surnames.
The following can be attributed to Chris Calabrese, ACLU Legislative Counsel:
"In
the middle of the toughest job market in decades, the administration
has chosen to erect another roadblock to gainful employment for U.S.
workers. Mandating all federal contractors to use E-Verify could
encourage contractors to fire workers based on erroneous database
discrepancies and to avoid hiring workers who are perceived to be
foreign born. This flawed Bush-era policy, now adopted by the current
administration, will only hurt the American workforce without improving
our nation's immigration enforcement practices."
the middle of the toughest job market in decades, the administration
has chosen to erect another roadblock to gainful employment for U.S.
workers. Mandating all federal contractors to use E-Verify could
encourage contractors to fire workers based on erroneous database
discrepancies and to avoid hiring workers who are perceived to be
foreign born. This flawed Bush-era policy, now adopted by the current
administration, will only hurt the American workforce without improving
our nation's immigration enforcement practices."
The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
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