Calvert Introduces Legislation to Aid Employers Verifying Immigration Status

Calvert Introduces Legislation to Aid Employers Verifying Immigration Status

Tuesday, January 4, 2005

Legislation makes Pilot Program for Employers to Verify Citizenship Status mandatory

WASHINGTON, DC - Today Congressman Ken Calvert introduced legislation to make the basic pilot program for employment eligibility verification permanent and gradually mandatory.

"The program has been a success since it was originally implemented in 1996, re-authorized in 2001 and implemented nation-wide in 2004," stated Rep. Calvert. "It also provides an easy way for law-abiding employers to check whether employees are eligible to work legally in the U.S."

In 1996, Congressman Ken Calvert introduced a bill that created authority for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to allow participating employers to access via computer software both the INS and the Social Security Administration databases for purposes of new employment verification. The program is now being administered by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS). Initially available in a limited number of states, the program became available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in December 2004.

The system allows employers to verify over a secure web-based service the Social Security information provided by their new hires on the I-9 form.

"It is imperative that employers verify the worker eligibility for all new employees. The program helps prevent identity theft, helps uncover forged documents and stops unscrupulous employers who use illegal immigrant workers to cut costs rather than hire legal immigrants and U.S. citizens." stated Rep. Calvert.

H.R. 19 would make a number of changes to the Basic Pilot program, which are summarized below:

* The name would change from the Basic Pilot program to the Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS).
* The authorization for the current system expires in 2008. H.R. 19 would extend it indefinitely.
* H.R. 19 would authorize all necessary funding for EEVS.
* EEVS would remain free to employers.
* H.R. 19 would require employers to use the program, based on the following phase-in timeline:
o 1 year after the enactment of the H.R.19: Employers with more than 10,000 employees (1,500 companies)
o 2 years: Employers with more than 5,000 employees (an additional 3,000 companies)
o 3 years: Employers with more than 1,000 employees (an additional 10,000 companies)
o 4 years: Employers with more than 500 employees (an additional 13,200 companies)
o 5 years: Employers with more than 250 employees (an additional 33,000 companies)
o 6 years: Employers with more than 100 employees (an additional 140,000 companies)
o 7 years: All employers with 1 employee or more (an additional 12,000,000 companies)

The Basic Pilot program double checks the information on employee's I-9 Immigration Forms.

Since November 1997, the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program have been conducting the Basic Pilot program in the States of California, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, New York and Texas. The program was made available to employers in all states December 20, 2004. The Basic Pilot involves verification checks of the SSA and the now Department of Homeland Security databases of all newly hired employees, regardless of citizenship.

The Basic Pilot program is currently a voluntary program and is free to employers who volunteer to participate. The Basic Pilot is used by over 2,000 employers and used at nearly 12,000 worksites nationwide.

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