DHS announces implementation of mandatory E-Verify for contractors, end no-match letters
Representatives Lamar Smith (TX-21), Steve King (IA-5), Brian Bilbray (CA-50), Jack Kingston (GA-1), and Sue Myrick (NC-9) commented on today’s actions by the Obama administration to address the massive problem of illegal immigrants in the U.S. workforce.
Congressman Kingston, who has been a leading voice to support and strengthen E-Verify, said, “Today’s announcement is a step forward and a step back. The Administration has finally addressed the need for the federal government to lead by example when it comes to enforcing our immigration laws. How they could do this in one step and in another abandon no-match letters is a mystery that defies all. It makes me wonder if the Administration is still playing games or if they are serious about addressing the problem.”
FOX AND FRIENDS - Fox News Channel
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
6:50 a.m.
Congressman Jack Kingston (R/GA-1) will appear on Fox News Channel’s Fox and Friends to discuss his efforts to ensure any jobs created by the economic “stimulus” go to legal working Americans. As reported by USA Today, as many as 300,000 jobs could go to illegal immigrants because Congressman Kingston’s efforts were blocked. For more information, visit Fox and Friend’s website or check your local listings.
MORNING JOE - MSNBC
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
7:30 a.m.
Congressman Jack Kingston (R/GA-1) will appear on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to discuss the government’s efforts to revive the economy and to provide an outlook for what’s going on in Washington this week. For more information, visit Morning Joe’s website or check your local listings.
Congressman Jack Kingston (R/GA-1) today voted against the trillion dollar spending package crafted in closed-door negotiations that would do little to stimulate the economy and could, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, hurt the long-term economic growth of the United States.
“This bill is a trillion dollar bait-and-switch,” Congressman Kingston said. “President Obama campaigned on tax relief and infrastructure investment in ‘shovel-ready’ projects. America bought in to that plan, I bought in to that plan but when Speaker Pelosi and Harry Reid got their hands on this package the tax cuts amount to twenty cents per hour for the average worker and only seven percent goes to shovel-ready projects. With folks getting laid off and having their homes foreclosed on, this ‘stimulus’ package is a slap in the face to working Americans.”
In case you missed it - Jack was featured on both the Lou Dobbs Radio Show and Lou Dobbs Tonight yesterday for his efforts to provide protections for American workers in the economic “stimulus” package. Despite being unanimously approved in the House Appropriations Committee, Jack’s amendment which would ensure that all workers hired as a result of the stimulus are legal American workers was stripped in the back door, dark of night conference committee negotiations.
To listen to Jack’s segment on Lou Dobbs Radio Show, click here.
To view the segment on Lou Dobbs Tonight, click below:
Jack will be on the Lou Dobbs Radio Show this afternoon to discuss the potential give away of millions of dollars to illegal immigrants in the economic “stimulus.” Despite being entirely deficit spending, Democrats refuse to allow for guarantees that only legal American workers will be employed as a result of the package. Check your local listings for the Lou Dobbs Radio Show by clicking here.
For more information on Jack’s efforts on this front, click here. For a recent press release, click here.
In case you missed it, Jack was on Lou Dobbs Radio yesterday discussing his efforts to ensure that any jobs created by the economic “stimulus” proposed by House Democrats go toward creating jobs for legal workers, not illegal immigrants. To learn more about Jack’s efforts, click here.
Jack will appear on CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight at 7 p.m. (eastern) to discuss his efforts to ensure that any jobs created under the “stimulus” package are created for legal workers, not illegal immigrants.
Earlier this week, Jack successfully amended the “stimulus” package during a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee which would require any contractors or subcontractors who are employed as a result of the bill to participate in E-Verify. E-Verify is a program sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Social Security Administration, that allows employers to easily and instantly verify the work eligibility of their employees.
While Jack does not support the “stimulus” package at this time, the Kingston Amendment is an important provision to ensure that American taxpayers are not financing the employment of illegal immigrants.
Lou Dobbs Tonight will air tonight beginning at 7 p.m. (eastern) on CNN. Please check your local listings for more information.
Jack, along with Congressmen Elton Gallegly, Ken Calvert, and Brian Bilbray sent a letter today to President Obama calling on him to immediately implement Executive Order 12989 which President Bush issued in June 2008. The order, which was set to take effect on January 15, would require all federal contractors to participate in E-Verify, a program that would allow them to easily ensure that all their employers are legal workers. The Department of Homeland Security, in the face of a lawsuit brought forth by five industry associations, has halted implementation.
As Congress debates a near-trillion dollar make-work “stimulus” package and millions of Americans are unemployed, we cannot allow the taxpayers to employ illegal workers. Companies that wish to do business with this government must abide by the regulations put forth by this government.
CONGRESSMAN KINGSTON’S IMMIGRATION REFORM PROGRAM EXTENDED House extends program for five years
Congressman Jack Kingston (R/GA-1) today praised the passage of legislation that extends E-Verify. The program, which allows employers to verify the legal working status of their employees, was slated to expire in November of this year.
“E-Verify is the first step towards ensuring the security of our workforce and ridding our nation of illegal workers,” Congressman Kingston said. “It not only protects American jobs but helps protect us all from identity theft by ensuring that a job applicant’s social security number is their own. I have always been concerned that this program would fade away in the bureaucratic maze of Washington. The legislation passed today not only extends the program but it addresses concerns of costs and the impact on small businesses.”
Initiated by an act of Congress in 1997, E-Verify was originally only available in the five states with the highest illegal immigrant populations. By December 2004, the program was extended to all fifty states. Congressman Kingston, who has been a longtime supporter of the program, worked to include legislation in annual spending bills that would require all federal contractors to participate in the program.
“Illegal immigrants have been found working on military installations, government buildings, and even helping to build the border fence along our border with Mexico,” Congressman Kingston said. “It is a threat to our national security that must be addressed. With E-Verify, employers can submit an applicant’s information and know whether or not they’re legal within seconds.”
On June 6th, Congressman Kingston’s proposal became a federal requirement, when the President issued Executive Order 12989. The action has tripled the number of requests processed through the program.
The legislation, H.R. 6633, was passed by a vote of 407-2 today. It must now be taken up in the Senate before being signed into law.
In today’s The Hill, it is revealed that conservative Democrats continued defiance of House leadership includes their desire to block illegal immigrants from getting tax breaks. According to the article:
“Twenty-one Democrats voted for the measure that would have changed the tax bill to prevent illegal immigrants from getting tax breaks.” (click here for full article)
The article goes on:
“The Republican motion would have tried to stop illegal immigrants from claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit and sought to block subsidies from going to so-called ’sanctuary cities’ that don’t enforce immigration laws.”
Not only did Democrat leaders block Republican efforts to cut off those who are in our country illegally from benefitting from the hard earned tax dollars of the American people, they had to break their own rules to do it!
“The tie vote came with some procedural wrangling. The vote was held open with the clock at 0:00 as the narrow margin fluctuated by a vote or two…The vote was gaveled closed by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) in the Speaker’s chair after someone on the Democratic side shouted, ‘Shut it down, Sheila.’”
For a list of members who voted in favor of allowing illegal immigrants to recieve tax benefits, check out the “Nays” on this page.
Sources in the Democratic leadership said the majority leaders want to curtail Republican efforts to forace a vote on an immigration enforcement bill from Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., that would make E-verify, a voluntary electronic verification program, madatory for all U.S. employers within four years.
As you may recall, Jack led the fight last year to require all those contracting with the Federal government to use E-verify. Then, too, Democrats blocked the measure from final passage during closed-door deal making on last year’s appropriations bills.
The article continues:
House Democrats are concerned that another 10 rank-and-file lawmakers, likely Blue Dog Coalition members, will sign the petition. With that, Republicans could easily round up the few in their party who have not signed on and ensure that the measure comes to the floor.
Senior Democratic leadership and rank-and-file aides said that the set of hearings, agreed to in a closed door meeting with Pelosi last week, is designed to dissuade Democrats from signing the discharge petition.
Are they serious? Perhaps in their minds there’s no need to act when you can hold a hearing and issue a press release.
For more information on what Jack’s doing about illegal immigration, click here.
The El Paso Times is reporting that 12 workers at Fort Bliss are being detained for being in the country illegally after military police and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents interviewed hundreds of workers at a housing construction site on the base. This is not the first time illegal aliens have been found working at a military base.
As you know, Jack has introduced amendments on several spending bills that would require any company wishing to do business with the federal government to participate in the Employment Eligibility Verfication system. This would allow companies to check if their employees are in the country illegally. And last month, the Department of Homeland Security issued a “no-match” regulation to help employers ensure that their workers are legal.
