State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe: Every Employer In PA Should Be Subject To E-Verify
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania State Representative Daryl Metcalfe is pushing for legislation that would require every employer in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania use the federal government's E-Verify system to prevent the hiring of illegal immigrants.
Metcalfe, while speaking with Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT, said this has long been one of his legislative goals.
"We've been pushing E-Verify for many years. Back in 2007, when I formed State Legislators for Legal Immigration, at one point, we had 42 states represented then by various legislators across the country to try to force the Congress to work with us instead of working against us to end the illegal alien problem in our country. Part of the solution is to implement E-Verify, to shut off access to employment from by illegal aliens to ensure they're not stealing jobs that should be filled by American workers."
He stated bi-partisan support exists to hold employers to a higher level of accountability in terms of their hiring practices.
"Recently, I've put another co-sponsor memo out, just in January, working with one of my Democratic colleagues here in Pittsburgh, Dom Costa, and we are asking our colleagues to join us in advancing E-Verify legislation in Pennsylvania that would cover every employer in Pennsylvania because we know there is other situations like this where employers are using the eyeball test, I call it a 'wink-and-a-nod' test. Many employers know they are hiring illegal aliens but they ask for identification, if the identification seems to fit what they're looking for, according to the I-9 form that they're required to ask for that information to [be] completed, then they go ahead and put them on the payroll."
Metcalfe claims his motivation is to keep jobs and welfare benefits from going to non-citizens.
"We have people that are here illegally, millions of them. They're stealing jobs from Americans. They're also tapping into public benefits that rightfully belong to American citizens that American taxpayers have paid for and we need to ensure that we protect the interests of Americans first. That starts by securing our border and then implementing programs like E-Verify to shut down access to jobs."
