CIPC ACTION ALERT!

LETTERS TO STATE ASSEMBLY NEEDED URGENTLY

Stop Employment Verification System known as E-Verify in California!

SUPPORT AB 2076 (Fuentes) Stop Costly & Discriminatory Employment Verification - Write a letter TODAY (see sample below and information about where to fax your letter).

Background: "E-Verify" is a voluntary, internet-based program used by a growing number of employers nationwide to electronically verify their workers' employment eligibility. The E-verify system uses information in databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).

While the program is often portrayed as a "magic bullet" to curb the hiring of unauthorized workers, it has been plagued by a multitude of problems since its inception in 1997, including the fact that E-Verify relies on extremely outdated databases. Some relevant facts:

The SSA estimates that 17.8 million, or 4.1% of its records contain discrepancies related to name, date of birth, or citizenship status, with 12.7 million of those records pertaining to U.S. citizens.
Authorized workers who are foreign-born are 30 times more likely than native born workers to be incorrectly tagged as unauthorized for employment by E-Verify.
Two government-sponsored commissions have found that there is frequent misuse of E-Verify by employers who either use it in a discriminatory way or to take adverse actions against employees.
Naturalized U.S. citizens workers are the most likely to be incorrectly identified as unauthorized to work, compared to 0.1% of native-born citizens.
E-Verify is expensive. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that to comply with the employment verification components of an immigration bill now before Congress would cost private employers $136 million and state and local governments $68 million per year.

In the face of so much evidence that E-Verify is neither a neutral nor a reliable source of employment verification, numerous states have either opted out of using the system, or have delayed implementing it. In California, approximately 2700 employers have registered for E-Verify, including both private and public employers. This number is certain to increase as the federal government actively campaigns for wide use of the system. California's employers should be discouraged from using this seriously flawed system, as E-Verify exposes California workers to discriminatory treatment and places a burden on employers.

AB 2076 would:

Declare the intent of the Legislature to curtail the use of E-Verify while the system remains plagued with deficiencies.
Declare that the State of California opts out of using the E-Verify system, sending a strong message to both private employers and municipalities that use of this system presents a risk to employers and workers in California.
Allow for flexibility by permitting the State to comply with federal law as it pertains to E-Verify.
Prohibit any county or municipality from requiring employers to use E-Verify, including as a condition for receiving a contract or business license.
SAMPLE LETTER TO ASSEMBLY MEMBER SANDRE SWANSON, CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY LABOR & EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE WHICH IS HOLDING A HEARING ON THE BILL APRIL 23RD. LETTERS ARE NEEDED BY APRIL 16, THIS COMING WEDNESDAY!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Honorable Sandre Swanson

Chair, Assembly Labor & Employment Committee

California State Assembly

State Capitol Building, Room 6012

Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: AB 2076 -- Support

Via Facsimile: (916) 319-2116

Dear Chairman Swanson:

The [insert name of organization] strongly supports Assembly Bill 2076, which proposes to curtail the use in California of the "E-Verify" system for verifying workers' employment eligibility.

E-Verify is a voluntary, internet-based program used by a growing number of employers nationwide to electronically verify their workers' employment eligibility. The E-verify system uses information in databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).

While the program is often portrayed as a "magic bullet" to curb the hiring of unauthorized workers, it has been plagued by a multitude of problems since its inception in 1997, including the fact that E-Verify relies on extremely outdated databases. In fact, the Social Security Administration (SSA) itself estimates that 17.8 million, or 4.1%, of its records contain discrepancies related to name, date of birth, or citizenship status, with 12.7 million of those records pertaining to U.S. citizens. Authorized workers who are foreign-born are 30 times more likely than native born workers to be incorrectly tagged as unauthorized for employment by E-Verify.In addition, two government-sponsored commissions have found that there is frequent misuse of E-Verify by employers who either use it in a discriminatory way or to take adverse actions against employees.

In the face of so much evidence that E-Verify is neither a neutral nor a reliable source of employment verification, we agree that the State of California should opt out of using this flawed system. The E-Verify system exposes California For all these reasons, we support AB 2076 and applaud your leadership on this important issue. workers to discriminatory treatment and places a burden on employers.
Sincerely,


(Name of your organization here)

CC: Committee on Labor and Employment (916) 319-2191



A STATE WIDE PARTNERSHIP OF: APALC (Asian Pacific American Legal Center, CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles,
NILC (National Immigration Law Center, SIREN (Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network)