Mike Helps Introduce and Supports Immigration Bill - August 20th, 2009

Representative Mike McIntyre, and many of his congressional colleagues recently introduced the SAVE Act, which increases border security and requires companies to verify employees’ legal right to work in the United States. 

Congressman McIntyre stated, “We need to enforce the laws of the land, and make sure that illegal immigrants do not fraudently get a job.  The SAVE Act would help employers, help those who are searching for employment, and help reduce illegal immigration – a win-win-win for all.”
The SAVE Act would require companies to use E-Verify, a government program for employers to use to ensure their new hires have the legal right to work in the U.S. Currently, more than 100,000 employers voluntarily use E-Verify, but the SAVE Act requires all companies to use the program within the next four years or face penalties.
This bill focuses on companies that knowingly hire illegal workers. Employers who use E-Verify legitimately will not be held liable for inadvertently hiring workers who use fraudulent documents when seeking work.
 
According to an independent analysis, nearly 97 percent of all workers screened through E-Verify have been approved within 24 hours.  While a small percentage of legal workers will receive what is known as a “tentative non-confirmation” due to errors in their personal information, E-Verify gives these individuals ample opportunity to correct their information with the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security databases, on which the program relies.