The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is challenging a federal government plan to use the Social Security Administration’s “no match” rule to crack down on illegal aliens.\u00a0 Currently they send “no match” letters to employers who have more than 10 employees with a mismatch between their name and their social security number.\u00a0Previously, there were no incentives for employers to respond, allowing them to ignore these letters.\u00a0 The new plan from Homeland Security would give the employer 90 days to resolve the mismatch, fire the employee, or face legal consequences.\u00a0 The chamber is concerned there will be a significant financial impact on industries that employ large numbers of illegal aliens.\u00a0 They also are concerned that requiring industries to comply with the law will create costly paperwork and procedures.\u00a0 But, the Social Security Administration only sends mismatch letters to employers with 10 or more mismatches.\u00a0 Are we to believe employers with large numbers of illegal workers are unaware they are hiring illegal aliens?\u00a0 How much sympathy does a company deserve when knowingly employing illegal aliens?<\/p>\n
Also, the chamber claims this plan will result in mass closures of small businesses. But, how can they predict this without knowing that large numbers of small businesses are routinely employing large numbers of illegal aliens?\u00a0 Another chamber concern is that legal workers will be fired if they are unable to resolve an erroneous mismatch or because employers will panic, firing them before they can resolve the mismatch.<\/p>\n
Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff, said, “Employers would rather close their eyes to cheap and profitable labor than obey the laws of our country.” Does he have a point?\u00a0 Have we reduced enforcement of our laws and borders to a profit loss decision?\u00a0 Regardless, do we have the option to ignore our borders and illegal aliens, as we have done since the Eisenhower administration? Should we only enforce those laws that do not negatively impact our economy, ignoring those that do?\u00a0 Or, should we defend our borders, enforce immigration laws, and spend what is needed to find and deport illegal aliens?\u00a0<\/p>\n
There is data to support one of the chamber’s concerns.\u00a0 The Social Security Administration’s database of Social Security numbers “churns out hundreds of thousands of erroneous mismatches each year.”\u00a0 If this is accurate, should legal workers risk losing their jobs because the Social Security Administration’s database is inaccurate?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regardless of these concerns and difficulties, the only unacceptable option is doing nothing.\u00a0 We must solve the problem we have ignored for 50 years.\u00a0 Is there any data suggesting deporting illegal aliens will be as successful as it was in the Eisenhower administration?\u00a0 Their efforts showed that for every illegal alien deported by the government, another ten self-deported.\u00a0 Will this occur again?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 We are already seeing these same results with only talk of putting this regulation into effect. Recently, shelters along the Mexican border started seeing fewer northbound people; instead, filling up with southbound legally deported and self-deported people.\u00a0 Other data from the U.S. Border Patrol showed that 38% fewer illegal aliens were trying to cross the border.\u00a0 This is significant “bang for the buck,” increasing numbers of illegal aliens self-deporting with fewer trying to enter our country illegally.\u00a0 Moreover, these numbers will rise once the government puts this regulation into effect.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Recently, one illegal alien complained that Americans are discriminating, becoming more “hostile” toward immigrants, legal and illegal.\u00a0 She said, “It’s just too much of a risk.\u00a0 It’s better to be out here (Mexico).”\u00a0 Those Americans, who so vocally advocate not deporting illegal aliens, are creating the very discrimination and racism they claim to oppose.\u00a0 Data suggests that Americans, when they see someone from another country, mainly Mexico, immediately suspect those individuals are here illegally. Moreover, this sentiment is becoming more common.\u00a0 Those trying to shield illegal aliens from deportation are discriminating against those people who have entered this country legally, who are fellow Americans.\u00a0 Why should people who are in our country illegally get protections at the expense of those who are here legally?\u00a0 Is that fair?<\/p>\n
What do we do?\u00a0 First, the Social Security Administration needs to clean up its database so we can trust its accuracy.\u00a0 Second, the government needs to work with employers to determine the time needed to resolve the mismatches, decreasing the possibility of firing legal workers.\u00a0 Along with this, The Office of Homeland Security needs to offer a safe harbor to companies who are, in good faith, trying to resolve the mismatches.\u00a0 Third, we need the Department of Labor to expand the guest worker program as employer needs arise.\u00a0 Last, we must stop using “economic impact” as an excuse to ignore the law.\u00a0 We can enforce our laws and protect legal immigrants while providing guest worker programs to industries needing those workers.\u00a0 This plan will work.<\/p>\n
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