E-Verify process not a hit with everyone

Adopting a program that protects Hernando County government from hiring illegal aliens was not met with open arms at Tuesday's workshop on E-Verification.

The main objection: it didn't go far enough in safeguarding local jobs.

Commissioner Jeff Stabins expressed doubts about using E-Verify, calling it a "typical Washington Band-Aid solution to a problem that requires a tourniquet."

And despite what board members have heard, E-Verify is not free, said Purchasing Director Jim Gantt.
"There is a cost," Gantt said. "It isn't free."

A program compliance monitor will need to be hired to receive and verify the employment information from all county vendors and to ensure that the information remains current, Gantt said.

Gantt also questioned whether Hernando County is big enough to warrant having the system and adding what he calls another layer of bureaucracy. This is Hernando, not an area of Texas, he said.

Gantt said the county already has a clause on the books that all contractors follow federal and state laws. The county, he said, would follow up with proper legal authorities should an illegal alien be discovered.

As it stands now, nothing prohibits the county from contacting the sheriff's office or federal officials if the county comes across a case of illegal hiring, County Attorney Garth Coller reminded the board.

Commissioners didn't completely give up on E-Verify. They like the concept, but want more hard assurances that protecting local jobs will result.

After more than two hours of debate, they directed County Administrator David Hamilton to get more information on the system, particularly on costs and the possibility of hiring additional personnel to monitor the system.

Commissioners also asked staffers to get more information about a companion program, called Image, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security.

That program assists employers to develop a more secure and stable workforce and to enhance fraudulent document awareness through education and training.

Commissioners are interested in patterning the dual-program concept after Hillsborough County, which has agreed to work with Hernando as it gets deeper into the procedure.

The federal E-Verify program - operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration - is an Internet-based system that allows employers to determine the eligibility of employees to work in the United States.

County Commissioner Rose Rocco called for this workshop weeks ago because she believes illegal aliens are usurping American jobs. That, in turn, has a domino effect on schools and health care, she said.

County Commissioner Dave Russell questioned what happens if a contractor signs off on E-Verify and intentionally leaves off certain undocumented employees and "pays them off the books."

Hill said the Department of Homeland Security has an enforcement branch that monitors companies signed up for E-Verify and any contractor who tries to defraud the program can face criminal and monetary penalties from the federal government.

Hill said there is no liability to the county is the contractor "works the system" by leaving some illegal aliens off the books.

Hill said this program is strictly for employment verification only and does not follow up on then trying to deport an illegal alien.

Stabins wanted to know how this makes our county and homeland more secure if an undocumented worker is discovered through E-Verify and he or she is not deported.
"I don't see how that makes our homeland safer," he said.

There are cases, Hill said, where illegals are allowed to be in the country and may be visiting relatives, she said. E-Verify just makes sure they don't enter the work force while they are here.
Florida is one of several states that does not have a mandatory E-Verify law.

Rocco, the biggest proponent of E-Verify, said any contractor who does business with Hernando County and uses illegal aliens not only takes jobs away from Americans but it poses a threat to security.

"It's about jobs, and it comes down to security," said Rocco, who questioned these undocumented workers' agendas.

Granting bids to contractors who knowingly hire such workers is "throwing money to the wind," she said.

The workshop started off with a recommendation from resident Michael Burmann who told board members the solution to hiring legal citizens for county projects is simple: have the purchasing department write a stipulation in all contracts mandating they hire only documented employees or be banned from future project bids for a period of time.

"The contractors would discipline themselves because they wouldn't want to miss out on future bids, he said.

Local code enforcement officials could make random checks at job sites and check for documented workers. If a contractor is caught with an illegal alien on the job site, he is put on notice," Burmann said.

Word would get around and the likelihood of a repeat violation - especially if that contractor is fined - would be unlikely, Burmann said.

Francine Hill, a representative of the Department of Homeland Security, said if the county adopts E-Verify, it must be uniform in its use.

"You can't have a set of E-Verify rules for one group of folks and another set of rules for another group of folks," Hill said.

Hill gave a 15-minute slide presentation showing that there are 188,000 employers nationwide who use E-Verify, with more than 7,000 in Florida.

About 97 percent of employee documentation queries from employers are verified within 24 hours, she said.

Hill said she did not believe Hernando County would have to hire additional employees to monitor the software system that comes with E-Verify.

A group of Hillsborough County staffers attended Tuesday's workshop. That county is in the process of adopting E-Verify and is considering a clause that mandates companies that do business with that county to use E-Verify or their chances of getting hired for a project are lessened.

George Williams, director of Human Resources for Hillsborough County, said he believes E-Verify is the right choice for Hillsborough County and "didn't cost us a dime."

Williams said he gave the task of system monitoring to an in-house human resources staffer and didn't have to hire another employee.

Williams also acknowledged that all government entities have their own set of concerns and told county commissioners that signing up for E-Verify "is a massive decision.'
"You've got to want it," he said. "We wanted it."

Hernando County Human Resources Director Cheryl Marsden said she does not have any employees to commit to the program at this time.

Commissioners said they plan to work with Hillsborough County as they proceed in their E-Verify program.