1 in 4 New Hires Vetted by E-Verify: New Data show 274% Growth since 2007
July 25, 2009, 7:17 am |
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By CIS.org
WASHINGTON — E-Verify is now being used to determine work authorization for 1 in 4 new hires nationwide according to numbers released to the Center for Immigration Studies by the Department of Homeland Security on July 4, 2009. This increase has occurred even though the E-Verify program remains voluntary at the federal level, with only 12 states requiring its use in some manner by employers. The report containing these numbers is at http://cis.org/Testimony/E-Verify-ChallengesAndOpportunities.
In 2007, when E-Verify took its current form, it was used to screen 1 in 19 new hires nationwide. The new figures represent a 274 percent increase, if usage remains steady for the remainder of this year. The number of queries so far in 2009 is about 6 million, nearly what they were for all of 2008 and twice that for 2007. If the current rate of use continues, E-Verify will be queried nearly 12.3 million times this year.
E-Verify is being used at 511,228 worksites, up from the 400,000 reported by the Department of Homeland Security in January 2009. A total of 134,702 employers have signed up to use the program. The industry sectors most using E-Verify are in the “professional, scientific and technical arena” with 72,946 employers signed up, more than twice as many as any other industry sector. Down at 20th in ranking are construction firms, at 7,959 employers using the system.
E-Verify enables cheap, efficient, and accurate compliance with the federal ban on hiring illegal aliens. More than 96.1 percent of all queries are automatically verified as employment-authorized in seconds, as discussed in Janice Kephart’s September 2008 report, “If It’s Fixed, Don’t Break It: Moving Forward with E-Verify” (http://cis.org/Everify). The number of non-confirmations projected for 2009 is 488,000, about 4 percent of the total number of queries. But far from representing a cause for concern, this is yet more evidence that E-Verify is doing its job, considering that 4-5 percent of the nation’s workforce is comprised of illegal aliens.
The one weak point that remains is a small problem with false positives. Continuing to make available digital photos from IDs issued to non-citizens is important to reducing identity theft, as is adding in passport photos and driver’s license photos as soon as possible. DHS will need to work hard to keep ahead of fraud — like it does with any program reliant on identity verification.
This report was prepared as testimony for a July 23, 2009, hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement.
Contact: Janice Kephart, jlk@cis.org, (202) 466-8185
The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit research organization founded in 1985. It is the nation’s only think tank devoted exclusively to research and policy analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal, and other impacts of immigration on the United States.
Cross-posted with permission.
Related: Economy, Immigration, Technology
July 25th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Now that our legislators are supposedly on the same track with E-Verify, it needs to be rigorously enforced? California–a Sanctuary State–will need exclusive attention along with other border states, because they have been occupied by millions of illegal immigrants, causing major damage to their economies. Once E-Verify is fully implemented on a permanent basis for all the working population, including all persons on a payroll? My suggestion is an army of federal inspectors of perhaps retired civil servants, senior citizens in their resident community, to make unexpected inspections on large and small businesses.
The inspectors will probably have to be armed with a general search warrant, but honorable business will hardly impose this restriction if they have nothing to hide? This will be a strict deterrent to parasite businesses, who will never be aware–WHEN THAT FEDERAL OFFICER–is going to turn up, to observe their workers? They will audit their books and check for irregularities in the workplace. This is happening in Italy and other countries, because of the importation of illegal foreign labor, has caused major concerns amongst the countries bona-fide workers. If Washington is really sincere about the10.5 jobless Americans, then we need to impose heavy penalties on those business that scorn the law. Another possibility is a reward system for informants, who have positive knowledge of companies that are scoffing at E-Verify, and committing the offense of hiring illegal aliens. Business are living off taxpayers taxes, because they don’t convey health care to their illegal hires.
Get on the phone and tell your Representative, you support–THE SAVE ACT– 202-224-3121 Believe it! Your voices are having the right effect.?Support for the bi-partisan SAVE Act, which will expand E-Verify and protect American jobs! We must focus on the key to this major problem-the jobs that attract illegal aliens. It would phase in a requirement for every employer to use the electronic verification system. We must also be aware that the Democrats are ready to open the gates to our nation, once a path to citizenship is announced. Search out the facts at NUMBERSUSA, AMERICANPATROL
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August 18th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Thanks for for your comment. This is walking the walk. To find your elected representatives (based on e.g. your zip code) and express your opinion, please click this link:
http://www.congress.org/
You can also find out how your reps voted on any bills they were present for.