Schwarzenegger Blocks Bill Barring Cities and Counties from Using E-Verify
It wasn’t an outright veto, but with California’s unemployment rate at 12.2 percent, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to sign a bill that would have prohibited cities and counties throughout the state from requiring contractors to use E-Verify to ensure that workers are legally eligible to be employed in the U.S. By returning it to the legislature without the governor’s signature, the bill cannot take effect and local governments in California will be able to make use of E-Verify a condition for issuing contracts.
The growing number of local governments requiring contractors to use E-Verify has been one of the most positive developments in the effort to combat illegal immigration and protect the jobs of American workers. Even Los Angeles County, which has traditionally showered illegal aliens with protections and benefits, is exploring the possibility of mandating the use of E-Verify. Although Congress has refused to make E-Verify permanent, the increasing popularity of the program will add to the pressure for permanent reauthorization in the future.
In the meantime, FAIR and its legal arm, the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), will continue to work with local governments in California and around the country to promote local policies that include mandated use of E-Verify. Local laws that IRLI has had a role in drafting have withstood legal challenges from illegal alien advocacy groups.
