Sacramento Immigration Lawyer Considers the Real Effects of E-Verify
I’ve seen over and over in my role as an immigration lawyer that whenever the government institutes a new immigration policy or process there’s confusion, resistance and continued debate. E-Verify, the electronically based method whereby the USCIS determines if a worker is in the country legally, is one such new process that we’ve discussed in my Sacramento law office.
Ensuring Workers are Legal
The point of E-Verify is to find undocumented workers and to make sure that employers are adhering to the law. It’s required that all federal contractors use E-Verify. But the electronic verification process is not restricted to federal contractors. Any business may use E-Verify and many are.
The Underground Economy
Some are reporting that E-Verify is sending undocumented workers, who in the past have been tax-paying individuals, into the underground economy, creating a bad situation where they are unemployed or working but no longer paying taxes. There’s concern that an expansion of the E-Verify system could make this problem worse. As an immigration lawyer, however, I’m not sure if that is the real problem.
The Real Problem
There is an obvious need for immigrants who are undocumented but have been previously working and paying taxes to obtain a work visa under a special consideration – a legal path to immigration. In other words, perhaps there can be special criteria for these people. That may help keep them above ground and it could be a start in solving various problems related to undocumented workers.
Questions Regarding Your Situation
Although I can’t solve the problem here and now, I do believe that it’s important to raise questions and consider possible solutions. E-Verify is a good example of how technology is often ahead of our thinking and planning. Often when there’s a new technology released, it takes time to learn how to best use it.
Please contact the Ranchod Law Group with offices serving San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento California, at info@ranchodlaw.com or at 415-986-6186 if you have any questions regarding E-Verify or immigration law.
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