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Janet Napolitano, U.S. Homeland Security Security, announced today that federal contractors must use the E-Verify program to help weed out illegal immigrants.
Arizona law already requires use of the federal program for any business making a new hire and in state government contract work. About a third of businesses reportedly use the program in Arizona these days.
Immigrant-rights groups aren’t happy with the decision, despite the scrapping of another program designed to stop undocumented foreigners from getting a job. And here’s why: The E-Verify program may represent one of the greatest threats to the livelihoods of illegal immigrants.
Former INS agent Neville Cramer, who’s lobbied for years for a similar program, told Valley Fever recently that heavy use of E-Verify wouldn’t end all illegal immigration — just 90 percent of it.
We agree it would have a major impact. It works like a national ID system — you can’t get a job if your computer record doesn’t check out.
But God help you if there’s a computer malfunction or other error.
