Bush Inks Order On Immigrant Workers

Law Requires Contractors Who Work With Federal Government To Verify Employees' Legal Status

(AP)  President Bush has signed an executive order requiring contractors and others who do business with the federal government to make sure their employees can legally work in the United States.

Mr. Bush signed the order Friday and the White House announced the order Monday.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez planned an afternoon news conference to discuss the order and other ways the administration has stepped up its crackdown on illegal immigration.

The order says federal departments and agencies must require contractors to use an electronic system to verify that the workers are eligible to work in the U.S.

The order is aimed at cracking down on hiring of illegal immigrants. But people who overstayed visas or came to the country legally but do not have permission to work, such as some students or those awaiting work permits, also could be snagged with the system.

"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," in the executive order says.

The order comes as a worker verification bill has essentially stalled in Congress. A Democratic immigration enforcement bill would require employers to check the citizenship and legal status of all their employees.

The issue has long been debated but has run into opposition over the years from business groups who say the E-Verify system is flawed and civil libertarians who say it will lead to discrimination and job losses by U.S. citizen workers misidentified as illegal workers.

Comprehensive immigration bills considered by Congress in 2006 and 2007 included worker verification measures. But after they failed, states began passing their own laws to keep employers from hiring undocumented workers.

[obamaisevil]

This is rubbish to calm the conservatives. The only intention Jorge Bush has; is combining Mexico, USA, and Canada, which will be ruled by elitist known as "Ministers". Look up "SPP" and see what this snake is proposing! Kiss the USA goodbye. Enjoy your money and low taxes today, as we''ll have 200 million peasants to support, while Bush and Calderon live like kings. Someone please convince Bush to lay low at the rach for six months, and not let him do a thing! If you don''t; he''ll bomb Iran and start the end of the world. I''d prefer to live. Bush, Congress, and Senate are causing high gas prices! Call your Senator and Congressman. We have plenty of oil in the USA, Alaska, and the Gulf. Taxing the oil companies will only increase our cost and the money sqandered by the crooks in office. Global Warming occurs every 1500 years. Al Gore just wants to fund future generations of his offspring. Those who listen to Gore; are idiots!

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Bush Inks Order On Immigrant Workers"

"Law Requires Contractors Who Work With Federal Government To Verify Employees'' Legal Status"

Does this include the terrorists-for-rent of companies like Blackwater?

[clovisbuford]

"It is time to TAKE AMERICA BACK from these freeloading ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. It is time to issue the SHOOT-TO-KILL orders.bhappy2-2" man i am still so astonished when i see statements like that ..bhappy2_2 would your appearance be the same appearance as in Auschwitz....or Buchenwald? or more like jasper Texas? and then we as Americans (gives you the benefit of the doubt) wonder how columbine happens ,,or the rampage of the snipers Malvi? etc .happens

[clovisbuford]

By the way ,Mccain is totally supportive of being the Bush 3rd term on tax cuts for the wealthy, for staying in Iraq for a 100 years, for taking away your civil liberties in the name of security,but on the issue of immigration , whoever wins supports similar policies republican or democrat.The people here blaming illegal immigrants,when American corporations invite them for all practical purposes are screwed up .Talking smack about shooting hard working people and their children A:,when their crime is coming to America to work jobs that employers like Walmart , Home Depot , Tyson Chicken ,etc, are providing ,with a wink and nudge is wrong. If Americans are truly concerned with stopping the immigration south of the border,strengthen their economies through good foreign policy , hold the head of walmart, meat packing plants , etc responsible for their corporate governance. They are here illegally ,but they are families, like mine and yours pursuing a better life ..talking about shooting families and individuals is pointless and deserves the same response as the KKK back in the day .

[clovisbuford]

"bhappy2-2; Funny that you say that. Every time the Bush administration tries to enforce the immigration laws the liberal idiots that control congress start screaming that it is unfair. Congress hasn''''t accomplished anything since the liberals took over."redbds ...errr so lets look at what republicans accomplished since they controlled the congress for 12 years since 1994 .We had the deregulation of the banking industry spearheaded by Phil Gramm(R) of the senate which not only made the sub prime crisis possible but totally removed any constraints on credit card companies and the derivative markets which has fueled the current financial market crisis.He also introduced legislation that made the Enron manipulation of energy markets possible . Under Republican leadership we went from 1400 earmarks a year to 14,000 a year the last year they held congress in 2006. oil was $20 a barrel when GW won in 2000 ,last price was $136.The deficit was 4.5trillion in 2000,it is close to double at 9 trillion under a republican congress ,republican president ,a republican supreme court who supports corporate rights at the expense of the individual..the proof is in the pudding.Who is Mccain''s economic adviser ?Phil Gramm . redbds ,go back to listening to rush , it will all be all right

[clovisbuford]

"It is time to TAKE AMERICA BACK from these freeloading ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. It is time to issue the SHOOT-TO-KILL orders."bhappy2-2
err illegal immigration is at best a misdemeanor under federal code as i remember, waits for shoot to kill orders on jay walking as well. I would wager bhappy2-2 thinks there is nothing wrong with the president or his cronies lying to the american populace on a host of issues so long you violate the posting requirements here if you posted them . You say nothing about the large corporations that employ illegals without nary an executive held accountable under Bush. bhappy2-2 you are a living breathing argument for birth control . some people are to stupid to breed.

[kansas1946]

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez planned an afternoon news conference to discuss the order and other ways the administration has stepped up its crackdown on illegal immigration.
************************************

Hmmm...hasn''t done squat about illegal immigration for eight years, but now he is going to do something. What a pitiful excuse for a president.

[darnedsocks]

YES, THEY NEED TO SNAG ALL THE JERKS WHO CAME OVER HERE ON STUDENT VISAS, WHO NEVER LEFT, AND WHOSE VISAS HAVE LONG EXPIRED!

[d12fall4]

I was out of line there, i am 4th generation hispanic, i feel strongly about my race... I do agree we are a country of laws and shuch laws should be uphold.
I appologize for my comments, they are out of line.

[d12fall4]

You people are whats wrong with this country, it is you who should go back to europe or ireland or where ever it is you came from ILLEGALLY by the way. ILLEGAL INVADORS.
And by the way, Republicans are just as bad as terrorist they are as extremist as they are in the name of G0_. Republicans should not exist, this country was founded by Democrats and should stay like that.