SEARCH
Bush Administration Abandons Current Anti-Worker ‘No Match’ Rule |
|
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has abandoned its attempt to enforce its proposed “no match” rule that would improperly use Social Security records for immigration enforcement.
Last Friday, the department asked a federal court in San Francisco to put on hold until March 2008 a lawsuit challenging the rule, which could affect more than 8 million workers. The government says it plans to publish a revised rule next month.
The lawsuit charges the rule would require employers to penalize U.S. citizens and legal workers whose Social Security numbers don’t match up with the Social Security Administration (SSA) database.
Because the database is error-prone, the policy would result in the firing of countless legal workers as well as discrimination against those who look or sound “foreign,” the lawsuit argues.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer issued a preliminary order stopping the government from enforcing the proposed rule, finding that it would cause irreparable harm to both innocent workers and employers.
In a statement, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says:
The Bush administration essentially admitted that the rule is unlawful. We’ve said all along that DHS had no authority to adopt this rule, which is just another Bush anti-worker initiative.
Click here for more information on the lawsuit and here to read a press release by the AFL-CIO and other groups.
The lawsuit was filed in August by the AFL-CIO, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Immigration Law Center and the Central Labor Council of Alameda County, the San Francisco Central Labor Council, and the San Francisco Building Trades Council. The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Immigration Law Center are co-counseling the case, along with the AFL-CIO.
4 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Not sending the no match letters is a grave mistake.This BS you are trying to tell people about legal citizens losing their jobs over it,is a crock and you know it.These people have 90 days to show that thet are here legally.That should be more than enough time.You are only protecting illegal employers and underming the standard of living of every citizen of this country union and non-union alike.The AFL-CIO is no longer the friend of legal hard working American citizens in my humble opinon.If you the AFL-CIO would expend as much time and money on dues paying members as they do on this other rubbish Union men and Women would be a lot better off.I’m from the building trades and I do not appreciate you defending these illegals that for years have cost me money and quality of life.The best way to get union construction jobs back in this country is to penalize illegal employers.Let’s start with the no match letter.
This is very upsetting. Why can’t we make employers more responsible in hiring ILLEGAL workers who are driving down wages. This is very depressing and allows employers to hire ILLEGAL workers who could be criminal, diseased, and otherwise not fit to be in this nation.
The decline of unionized workers in this country will continue as long as union leadership continues to take positions on issues that are harmful to its membership. The AFL-CIO’s continued support of legislation that helps ILLEGAL WORKERS while at the same time hurting every working class citizen in this country is a disgrace. Start representing your membership…
Hats off to Dr,Tomass,& Commish! Speaking as a texan & living in a state where 50% hispanic are illegal, I was appalled that my union took the government to court and won their lawsuit thereby delaying this badly needed program. Common sense tells us all that the use of illegal workers brings down the wages for all American workers. Futhermore, our country is at war and it is necessary to stop OTMs from crossing our borders. This is a time to unite as a country and do what is required for our children’s safety.