Congressman
Elton Gallegly
Serving the 24th District of California

http://www.house.gov/gallegly/media/media2007/media2007.htm

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2007

 Contact: Tom Pfeifer
(202) 225-5811

Gallegly Bill Requires Federal Contractors to Verify Employee Work Status

WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties) today introduced a bill that would require federal contractors to use a Social Security Administration program to verify their employees have a legal right to work in the United States.

Under Gallegly’s bill, federal contractors would be required to verify their employees have a legal right to work in the United States by utilizing the Basic Pilot Program. The Basic Pilot Program, which became law under a provision authored by Gallegly, is a Social Security Administration verification system that allows employers to confirm the eligibility of new hires by checking the personal information they provide against federal databases.

“Federal agencies are already required to use the Basic Pilot Program because of national security concerns,” Gallegly said. “Yet federal contractor employees have no such restrictions. As a result, illegal immigrants have been caught working for contractors at military bases across the country. My contractors bill will hold federal contractors to the same standard as federal agencies.”

Illegal immigrants were also caught helping to build the border fence designed to keep illegal immigrants out of the United States and on federal jobs rebuilding New Orleans.

Gallegly has introduced 11 other illegal immigration bills since the beginning of the year.