New York Times (Letter to the Editor) by Rep. Lamar Smith: Re “So Much for the Nativists” (editorial, Oct. 27): With 14 million Americans unemployed and 7 million illegal immigrants working in the United States, jobs should be protected for legal workers.
A federal E-Verify law could open up millions of jobs for unemployed Americans by requiring all employers to use this program. E-Verify quickly identifies individuals working here illegally and opens up jobs for citizens by checking Social Security numbers of new hires.
Individuals eligible to work here are immediately confirmed 99.5 percent of the time. With this track record, it’s no wonder a recent poll found that 82 percent of likely voters support requiring all employers to use E-Verify.
Because growers often face a shortage of available American workers to fill seasonal agricultural jobs, I have also sponsored a bill to provide them a workable guest worker program. This bill eliminates the problems plaguing the current program and establishes a more effective system that is responsive to the needs of American growers while maintaining strong safeguards to protect legal workers. And it will help growers hire a legal work force without a fraud-ridden mass amnesty.
It seems that some critics oppose E-Verify and a guest worker program because they want illegal immigrants to stay in the United States and get amnesty. But why should we put the interests of illegal workers ahead of those of unemployed Americans?
LAMAR SMITH
Washington, Oct. 27, 2011
The writer, a Republican from Texas, is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
A federal E-Verify law could open up millions of jobs for unemployed Americans by requiring all employers to use this program. E-Verify quickly identifies individuals working here illegally and opens up jobs for citizens by checking Social Security numbers of new hires.
Individuals eligible to work here are immediately confirmed 99.5 percent of the time. With this track record, it’s no wonder a recent poll found that 82 percent of likely voters support requiring all employers to use E-Verify.
Because growers often face a shortage of available American workers to fill seasonal agricultural jobs, I have also sponsored a bill to provide them a workable guest worker program. This bill eliminates the problems plaguing the current program and establishes a more effective system that is responsive to the needs of American growers while maintaining strong safeguards to protect legal workers. And it will help growers hire a legal work force without a fraud-ridden mass amnesty.
It seems that some critics oppose E-Verify and a guest worker program because they want illegal immigrants to stay in the United States and get amnesty. But why should we put the interests of illegal workers ahead of those of unemployed Americans?
LAMAR SMITH
Washington, Oct. 27, 2011
The writer, a Republican from Texas, is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
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