Dreier Testifies on Importance of Employment Verification in Immigration Reform

April 26, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas, CA), Rules Committee Ranking Republican, testified today before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims on the importance of employment verification and worksite enforcement in any immigration reform package. Dreier specifically discussed his bipartisan legislation, the Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act of 2007, H.R. 98. The legislation would make the Social Security card counterfeit-proof and enhance workplace enforcement requirements .

"Far from being just an immigration issue, Social Security card fraud is a national security issue," Dreier said. "H.R. 98 addresses this vulnerability, simplifies current law for employers, toughens sanctions against those who choose to break the law, and provides the Border Patrol the resources it needs for interior enforcement."

One of the largest vulnerabilities of the current immigration system is the ease with which illegal immigrants can obtain fraudulent identity documents which they can then use to demonstrate to employers that they are here legally. In order to address this problem, H.R. 98 requires the Social Security Administration to issue Social Security cards which contain a digitized photo of the cardholder, in addition to other fraud countermeasures developed in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation specifically stipulates that the improved Social Security card would not become a national identification card. Additionally, it reduces the number of documents permitted to demonstrate employment eligibility from ninety four to one.

Dreier said a fresh approach is clearly needed to the challenges of illegal immigration. "Past approaches to solving the problem of illegal immigration clearly have not worked. It’s time for a new solution. We must enforce the laws already on the books, we must make it feasible for employers to comply with those laws, and we must increase the penalties for violating those laws. H.R. 98 will help address these issues in a streamlined fashion."

Photo Shows: Congressman Dreier displaying his counterfeit-proof Social Security Card.