• Home
  • Today
  • Advocacy
  • Forum
Donate
  • login
  • register
Home

They need you!

Forum links

  • Recent changes
  • Member list
  • Search
  • Register
Search Forums
 
Advanced Search
Go to Page...

Resources

  • Do I qualify?
  • In-state tuition
  • FAQ
  • Ways to legalize
  • Feedback
  • Contact us

Join our list

National calendar of events

«  

July

  »
S M T W T F S
 
 
1
 
2
 
3
 
4
 
5
 
6
 
7
 
8
 
9
 
10
 
11
 
12
 
13
 
14
 
15
 
16
 
17
 
18
 
19
 
20
 
21
 
22
 
23
 
24
 
25
 
26
 
27
 
28
 
29
 
30
 
31
 
 
 
Sync with this calendar
DAP Forums > DREAM Act > The News Room

ID Card for Workers Is at Center of Immigration Plan

  • View
  • Post new reply
  • Thread tools
    Thread Tools
    Show Printable Version Show Printable Version
    Email this Page Email this Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • next ›
#1
03-09-2010, 07:31 AM
Member
Joined in Jul 2008
93 posts
blackbird's Avatar
blackbird
blackbird
View Public Profile
Send a private message to blackbird
Find all posts by blackbird
110 AP
link

Quote:
By LAURA MECKLER
Lawmakers working to craft a new comprehensive immigration bill have settled on a way to prevent employers from hiring illegal immigrants: a national biometric identification card all American workers would eventually be required to obtain.

Under the potentially controversial plan still taking shape in the Senate, all legal U.S. workers, including citizens and immigrants, would be issued an ID card with embedded information, such as fingerprints, to tie the card to the worker.

The ID card plan is one of several steps advocates of an immigration overhaul are taking to address concerns that have defeated similar bills in the past.

The uphill effort to pass a bill is being led by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), who plan to meet with President Barack Obama as soon as this week to update him on their work. An administration official said the White House had no position on the biometric card.

"It's the nub of solving the immigration dilemma politically speaking," Mr. Schumer said in an interview. The card, he said, would directly answer concerns that after legislation is signed, another wave of illegal immigrants would arrive.

The biggest objections to the biometric cards may come from privacy advocates, who fear they would become de facto national ID cards that enable the government to track citizens.

"It is fundamentally a massive invasion of people's privacy," said Chris Calabrese, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. "We're not only talking about fingerprinting every American, treating ordinary Americans like criminals in order to work. We're also talking about a card that would quickly spread from work to voting to travel to pretty much every aspect of American life that requires identification."

Mr. Graham says he respects those concerns but disagrees. "We've all got Social Security cards," he said. "They're just easily tampered with. Make them tamper-proof. That's all I'm saying."

U.S. employers now have the option of using an online system called E-Verify to check whether potential employees are in the U.S. legally. Many Republicans have pressed to make the system mandatory. But others, including Mr. Schumer, complain that the existing system is ineffective.

Last year, White House aides said they expected to push immigration legislation in 2010. But with health care and unemployment dominating his attention, the president has given little indication the issue is a priority.

An immigration overhaul has long proven a complicated political task. The Latino community is pressing for action and will be angry if it is put off again. But many Americans oppose any measure that resembles amnesty for people who came here illegally.

Under the legislation envisioned by Messrs. Graham and Schumer, the estimated 10.8 million people living illegally in the U.S. would be offered a path to citizenship, though they would have to register, pay taxes, pay a fine and wait in line. A guest-worker program would let a set number of new foreigners come to the U.S. legally to work.

Most European countries require citizens and foreigners to carry ID cards.

Mr. Schumer first suggested a biometric-based employer-verification system last summer. Since then, the idea has gained currency and is now a centerpiece of the legislation being developed, aides said.

A person familiar with the legislative planning said the biometric data would likely be either fingerprints or a scan of the veins in the top of the hand. It would be required of all workers, including teenagers, but would be phased in, with current workers needing to obtain the card only when they next changed jobs, the person said.

The card requirement also would be phased in among employers, beginning with industries that typically rely on illegal-immigrant labor.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce doesn't have a position on the proposal, but it is concerned that employers would find it expensive and complicated to properly check the biometrics.

Mr. Schumer said employers would be able to buy a scanner to check the IDs for $700 or $800. Small employers, he said, could take their applicants to a government office to have their hands scanned there.

—Alistair MacDonald contributed to this article.
Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A4
What do you guys think about this? Think people will go for this or not?
__________________
“Those that say it can't be done should get out of the way of those doing it.” -Chinese Proverb
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#2
03-09-2010, 04:46 PM
BANNED
Joined in Mar 2009
1,530 posts
Sonawabich
Sonawabich
View Public Profile
Find all posts by Sonawabich
0 AP
100% for it.
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#3
03-09-2010, 05:00 PM
Senior Member
Joined in Mar 2009
1,329 posts
ari88
ari88
View Public Profile
Send a private message to ari88
Find all posts by ari88
0 AP
I actually think this is a really good idea, as long as they solely use it to make sure that people are who they claim to be and can work legally. if they use it to invade our privacy then im not up for it. this card is supposed to prevent more illegals from coming here to work &i think that by adding this card to the bill it will make it easier for cir pass since it will be pleasing the conservative republicans.
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#4
03-09-2010, 05:18 PM
Moderator
Joined in Mar 2006
6,457 posts
Swim19's Avatar
Swim19
Swim19
View Public Profile
Send a private message to Swim19
Find all posts by Swim19
190 AP
The idea of a national ID card will certainly not sit well with a lot of Americans, but there has to be some way of ensuring those who are working are working legally after CIR has been passed.
__________________
Initial Approval: 11/13/12
1st Renewal: 10-7-14
2nd Renewal: 10/12/16
3rd Renewal: 5/16/2018
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#5
03-09-2010, 05:24 PM
BANNED
Joined in Mar 2009
1,530 posts
Sonawabich
Sonawabich
View Public Profile
Find all posts by Sonawabich
0 AP
You want illegals not working but you're not ok with the means to achieve it? That is ridiculous
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#6
03-09-2010, 06:17 PM
Moderator
Joined in Mar 2006
6,457 posts
Swim19's Avatar
Swim19
Swim19
View Public Profile
Send a private message to Swim19
Find all posts by Swim19
190 AP
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonawabich View Post
You want illegals not working but you're not ok with the means to achieve it? That is ridiculous
I didn't say that. I said a lot of *Americans* will not like the idea of a ID card. The idea of privacy from government has always been a big deal in this country. I feel this can be used as a talking point against CIR by opposition.
__________________
Initial Approval: 11/13/12
1st Renewal: 10-7-14
2nd Renewal: 10/12/16
3rd Renewal: 5/16/2018
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#7
03-09-2010, 06:19 PM
Senior Member
Joined in Dec 2009
221 posts
arodriguez's Avatar
arodriguez
arodriguez
View Public Profile
Send a private message to arodriguez
Find all posts by arodriguez
500 AP
im sure its meant to appease the Republicans. i sure hope they bite the bait!
__________________
Date Application Sent -09/20/2012, Express Mail
Date delivered -
Date acceptance letter of application received -
Date of I-797 C Notice of Action
Date Biometrics scheduled -
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#8
03-09-2010, 07:14 PM
Junior Member
Joined in Jan 2010
3 posts
King Crab
King Crab
View Public Profile
Send a private message to King Crab
Find all posts by King Crab
0 AP
To be honest I don't see how this is an invasion of privacy. All americans have a SSN, which can be used to track pretty much all you do. Most americans have driver licences, which can be used the exact same way.
The only thing new to these cards would be fingerprints, which, in my opinion is a great thing because it'll greatly help law enforcement agencies track down REAL criminals (think CSI, though it still won't be as fast and won't have as many pubes).
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#9
03-09-2010, 08:50 PM
Junior Member
Joined in Sep 2009
28 posts
luv_tearz
luv_tearz
View Public Profile
Send a private message to luv_tearz
Find all posts by luv_tearz
0 AP
i was just wondering about this whole situation... um.. so are they giving us the legal rights to work with that card or is it only limited to the person that has legal status already?... i wasn't sure if we are included in that bill or not..
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
#10
03-09-2010, 08:56 PM
Senior Member
Joined in Sep 2009
1,372 posts
dreamy14
dreamy14
View Public Profile
Send a private message to dreamy14
Find all posts by dreamy14
240 AP
^^ same question with me. does anyone have a clear 411 on this?
  • Reply With Quote
Post your reply or quote more messages.
  • 1
  • 2
  • next ›


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »


Contact Us - DREAM Act Portal - Archive - Top
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.