Vol. 3, No. 17
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July 1, 2006
Nevada's Online State News Journal
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Out and about with the politicos:
An Idea Whose Time Has Come, Says Congressional Candidate Gibbons
Hiring Illegals Not Always The Fault Of The Business In Question, She Says
by Johnny Gunn
Republican congressional candidate Dawn Gibbons, a veteran Nevada businesswoman has come out in favor of a federal pilot program that has yet to make "law" status. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 required the federal government to establish pilot programs to verify the employment eligibility of new hires. One such program is the Smart Business Practices pilot project, in which several Nevada businesses are already signed up.
"It just makes sense for Congress to mandate a proven, successful nationwide program," Gibbons said. "Several businesses in Nevada are currently enrolled in the voluntary program, and both houses of congress need to mandate this or a similar pilot project."
Dawn Gibbons
Gibbons said that when she tried to verify a potential employee's eligibility to work, she was informed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service that it would be illegal for them to divulge that information. "How's that for making it easy on the business person?" she said. Under the Smart Business Practices is one such pilot program that is available to businesses. An employer who participates in the basic pilot program signs a memorandum of understanding with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify whether the hiring of the employee satisfies current law. Response to the request is usually three working days.
For a better understanding of the program, go to http://www.smartbusinesspractices.com. For a look at the program in depth, go to http://www.smartbusinesspractices.com/legal_basicpilot.php. For a look at Nevada businesses in the program go to http://www.smartbusinesspractices.com/pilot_nv.php.
Gibbons said if she is elected she will urge congress to mandate the Smart Business Practices-Basic Pilot Program to help end the hiring of illegal immigrants. "We must be aggressive and use every technological tool available to us that links employers with SSA and DHS." Gibbons went on to say, "This will end the incentive to work in this country illegally because social security cards and names will be matched before anyone is hired." The enticement is also time, Gibbons indicated. "This can be done within minutes of accessing the program."
The employer can log into a secure DHS website, enter the employee's full name, date of birth, and social security number. Choosing which documents or combinations of documents the employee presented, the information is transmitted to SSA and within minutes the employer will receive a message indicating whether or not the applicant is eligible for employment.
News articles are published regularly describing how social security numbers are sold to illegal immigrants. In one recent article, a woman discovered that her social security number had been used by hundreds of illegal immigrants, and that there were currently almost 100 people using her social security number. With this program, an employer will know almost immediately if the person is legally employable.
If there is a problem, according to Gibbons and the web site, there is a process involving SSA and DHS which usually takes 24-hours, but under the law, can take up to three days to verify work authorization. The potential employee is referred to SSA and DHS to clear up the problem. The employer is notified within ten-days that either work authorization is confirmed or not confirmed.
"There are many questions dealing with immigration that demand answers," Gibbons said recently, "and employment is just one. This Smart Business Practices Pilot Program is right for this country." The candidate for the Second Congressional District said, "Stopping them at the border is very important, and I plan to work hard on that aspect of the problem. Stopping them from coming to our country knowing they can get a job upon arrival is equally important, and this plan will be at the heart of my congressional agenda."
Gibbons toured the U.S./Mexico border recently and talked with border patrol agents, FBI agents, and others involved in stopping the flood tide of illegal immigrants. "Those people were so undermanned it was hard to watch. When they stopped one group five more groups moved through." Gibbons said at the time that stopping illegal border crossings had more than one impact on American life. "Illegal immigrants coming here for jobs has to be stopped, but I also fear terrorists streaming across that border. A terrorist group could get into the country so easily and just disappear into society until it was time to kill."
Gibbons is very aware of the drug trafficking across the border as well. "Those new methamphetamine factories in Mexico are producing a killing chemical and mules, illegals, even tourists are being used to transport tons of the material into our country." Recent busts in Nevada have netted meth, heroin, and cocaine in large amounts believed to have originated in Mexico.
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