President Bush Acts to Limit Employment of Illegals on US Contracts

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Although seven years late and millions of illegal aliens that could have been discouraged from entering the United States, President Bush took action to additional action to restrict illegals from being employed by business and contractors doing business with the United States Government. The President amended Executive Order (EO) 12989 which required companies/contractors doing business with the Federal Government to use an electronic verification system that is linked to the Social Security database to ensure their workers can legally work in the United States. The move is another critical step in ratcheting up enforcement of immigration laws through tough measures. The need for this action was inherent in the results of several high-profile raids on work sites and factories across the country that yielded numerous illegals working on Government contracts. President Bush set forth his position in the EO as follows:

This order is designed to promote economy and efficiency in Federal Government procurement. Stability and dependability are important elements of economy and efficiency. A contractor whose workforce is less stable will be less likely to produce goods and services economically and efficiently than a contractor whose workforce is more stable. It is the policy of the executive branch to enforce fully the immigration laws of the United States, including the detection and removal of illegal aliens and the imposition of legal sanctions against employers that hire illegal aliens. Because of the worksite enforcement policy of the United States and the underlying obligation of the executive branch to enforce the immigration laws, contractors that employ illegal aliens cannot rely on the continuing availability and service of those illegal workers, and such contractors inevitably will have a less stable and less dependable workforce than contractors that do not employ such persons. Where a contractor assigns illegal aliens to work on Federal contracts, the enforcement of Federal immigration laws imposes a direct risk of disruption, delay, and increased expense in Federal contracting. Such contractors are less dependable procurement sources, even if they do not knowingly hire or knowingly continue to employ unauthorized workers.

Contractors that adopt rigorous employment eligibility confirmation policies are much less likely to face immigration enforcement actions, because they are less likely to employ unauthorized workers, and they are therefore generally more efficient and dependable procurement sources than contractors that do not employ the best available measures to verify the work eligibility of their workforce. It is the policy of the executive branch to use an electronic employment verification system because, among other reasons, it provides the best available means to confirm the identity and work eligibility of all employees that join the Federal workforce. Private employers that choose to contract with the Federal Government should meet the same standard.

I find, therefore, that adherence to the general policy of contracting only with providers that do not knowingly employ unauthorized alien workers and that have agreed to utilize an electronic employment verification system designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security to confirm the employment eligibility of their workforce will promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement.

If State Governors would take similar action for those companies and contractors doing business with State Agencies and all entities within their states using state funds (including: cities, counties, public schools, colleges, etc.), illegal aliens would see the "not welcome" sign clearly displayed and a significant number of illegal aliens (or if you prefer the euphemism: illegal immigrants) would return home and others would be discouraged from sneaking into the United States. Hopefully, more American and lawful residents will then be able to find employment at these agencies funded with our tax dollars. In addition, there will be a significant reduction in government supported social services for illegals. For those American global warming enthusiasts, you would see a large "carbon footprint" leaving the United States. And most important, our National defense would be aided. As more illegals return to their countries of origin by choice or through Federal deportation actions, it will become easier to identify those illegal aliens who entered the United States not to find work but to terrorize, kill and destroy.

---

Tags: economic cost, employing illegals, employment, executive orders, federal contracting, illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, President George Bush To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!