September 4th 2009 Edition

Capitol Connection

FAIR's GR Team Makes Push for Permanent E-Verify Reauthorization

It's officially September, and E-Verify - the online electronically operated system that allows employers to quickly and easily check the work authorization status of their new hires - is set to expire on September 30. Employee verification is one of the pillars of true immigration reform, and FAIR's Government Relations (GR) team has been actively urging our members, activists, and the general public to lobby Congress for permanent reauthorization.

In July FAIR reported that Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) had successfully attached Amendment #1371 to the Fiscal Year 2010 Homeland Security spending bill. The amendment will, among other things, permanently reauthorize E-Verify. However, as stated in an August FAIR Action Alert, the adoption of the Sessions Amendment and the subsequent passage of the Homeland Security spending bill by the Senate does not guarantee a permanent reauthorization. The bill is now set to move to a House-Senate conference to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. The House version does not contain the Sessions language and therefore the Conference Report - which would likely become law - could either include or drop the permanent reauthorization.

FAIR's GR team has also recently reported on a federal court's decision to uphold a federal regulation requiring most federal contractors to use E-Verify. The Obama Administration has indicated that it will implement this rule on September 8. Accordingly, Congress would provide greater certainty for federal contractors by including the Sessions permanent E-Verify reauthorization in the final version of the 2010 Homeland Security spending bill.

Stay tuned to FAIR for the latest on efforts to permanently reauthorize E-Verify.

FAIR in Your Community

• FAIR field staff spoke to over 5,000 people at a meeting in Florida regarding health care. FAIR's Florida cost study was also distributed to attendees.
  
  
• FAIR field team worked with activists in Los Angeles to start a local group fighting for true immigration reform.
  
  
• Spurred by a letter from a victim of identity theft, FAIR’s Field team is working with activists in Wisconsin to help improve the process of prosecuting identity theft crimes. Read their story.
  
  

Participate in Hold Their Feet to the Fire from Home

Times are tough and we understand that not everyone can make it to Washington DC for FAIR's national drive for immigration reform. But who says just because you are not here, you cannot participate. The FAIR team has been working hard to make sure that all of our members have the opportunity to get involved with Hold Their Feet to the Fire this year. We will be live streaming the conference so that everyone can watch the activities no matter where they are. Just visit www.fairus.org and watch live as Talk Radio, lawmakers, activists, and the FAIR team convene to discuss the importance of true immigration reform. More information is coming soon on what you can do from home.

Submit your questions now! Please submit any questions that you would like FAIR staff to answer at Hold Their Feet to the Fire. Watch our live streaming broadcast of the event to see if your question gets answered.

Kudos

Kudos to FAIR’s social media team for reaching the impressive goal of 1,500 fans on their Facebook page a 1,400% increase from the beginning of the year. This achievement has earned FAIR its own Facebook URL at http://www.facebook.com/FAIRImmigration.

We Want to Hear From You

Here are a few comments that were submitted by our readers:

"In our state we are now paying SCHIP up to the age of 30. Why do I want to raise my child and then raise someone elses child. I just looked at my paycheck and the state of MN taxes has actually surpassed the federal tax. Oh by the way. We are known as a sanctuary city."

"The influx of illegal immigrants in southern Florida has caused many smaller health facilities to close. The remaining large trauma facilities are packed 24 hours a day with persons who will: a: Receive free treatment. b:Receive that treatment BEFORE US citizens in the waiting room because the facility fears legal troubles from highly active civil rights lawyers. I am a tax-paying US citizen with terminal cancer. I sat for seven hours in a south Florida hospital waiting to be seen. Finally, I gave up."

"I feel our United States government has failed it's people regarding U.S. immigration law; our government continues to pander to hispanic special interest groups and lobbies in hopes of votes, while U.S. Citizens are having jobs stolen by illegal aliens . . .  The basic responsibility of U.S. government is being ignored, and that is the protection of our U.S. borders and our U.S. Citizens from the encroachment of foreign nationals who are committing crimes against our people, all in the name of cheap illegal labor for the greedy and the corrupt."

"Illegal immigration is a great expense here in California where we have a state that is already in severe financial difficulties. When we consider all the expenses illegal immigration incurs, this is not cheap labor. Be aware, what is happening here will happen in every other state if tough immigration policies are not enforced."