E-VERIFY / SS NO MATCH
Voces de la Frontera has been strong and active in its opposition to both No Match letters and E-Verify.
Under the new administration, progress on the issues has been mixed...
E-VERIFY
Is an electronic system for verifying work authorization developed in the Bush era. It is riddled with errors and results in discriminatory treatment against immigrants who have legal status. Initially a voluntary program, there have been growing efforts to make its use a requirement in government contracts.
In July 2009, after considering the issue for six months, the Obama administration announced that it will require businesses that win federal contracts to use a government electronic database system to verify that their employees have legal immigration status to work in the United States.
THE 'NO MATCH' RULE
Eight million workers, both documented and undocumented, were put under threat by the No Match rule announced in August 2007 by the Department of Homeland Security. It attempted to fundamentally change the role of 'No Match' letters sent out by the Social Security Administration.
Starting in 1994, the annual ‘No Match’ mailing notified employers of differences between details they submitted for their workers and the SSA’s national database of social security numbers. The letters emphasized that they were seeking only to correct data and should not be seen as questioning a person’s immigration status.
However, in August 2007, the DHS attempted to bring in a new rule telling employers they must reverify details for anyone queried. The DHS threatened massive fines if companies didn’t fire any worker unable to resolve the problem within 90 days.
There are an estimated 17.8 million errors in the database, most of them affecting U.S. citizens.
The new rule was challenged in federal court by labor and civil rights groups who drew attention to the dramatic and damaging impact it would have - and its implementation was blocked by an October 2007 ruling. DHS was instructed by the judge to review the rule in three key areas.
However, in March 2008, the DHS republished the rule without change and made clear it intended to try and bulldoze through any further legal obstacles.
The Obama administration inherited the issue and, in August 2009, announced a proposal to abandon the plan Public comments on rescinding the No-Match rule must be submitted by September 18, 2009.
Myths & Facts
Myth: Most immigrants to Wisconsin are from Mexico and Latin America
Fact: Fewer than 4 in 10 of Wisconsin's foreign-born residents came originally from South America, Central America, Mexico or the Carribean.
Get more of the facts >>
NEWSPAPER
- Know Your Rights!:
- Don't Help Immigration Arrest You!
- National Week of Action:
- January 2010
