Ozarks Minutemen turn in petition to strengthen employment screening

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Ozarks Minutemen turn in petition to strengthen employment screening
Members of the Ozarks Minutemen have turned in a petition to the City Clerk that would increase pre-employment screening requirements for all licensed Springfield businesses in an effort to prevent the hiring of illegal immigrants.
The group said in a news release that it hopes to close exiting loopholes and deter illegal immigration by requiring all employers to use the E-verify system.
Ozarks Minutemen gathered about 2,400 signatures, according to a news release. If at least 2,101 are verified by the clerk’s office, the issue will go to City Council, which could approve the ordinance as is or send it to voters for a public election.
The unedited news release from the Ozarks Minutemen is below:
“SPRINGFIELD, MO (19 July 2011) - The Ozarks Minutemen, a Springfield-based group of citizen volunteers, has obtained necessary voter signatures on an initiative petition proposing an ordinance that would make it unlawful for businesses licensed by the city of Springfield to hire illegal aliens. The proposed ordinance also calls for the mandatory use of E-Verify, a free, government-sponsored program which enables employers to easily determine the eligibility of a prospective employee to work in the United States.
“We submitted 104 petitions containing over 2,400 signatures to the Springfield City Clerk's office earlier today,” said Jerry Wilson, spokesman for the group. “The actual number of signatures needed, based on the April election, was 2,101. We eagerly await the certification of these petitions by the City Clerk.”
The ordinance proposed by the Minutemen focuses on employment because jobs draw illegal aliens to Springfield and the Ozarks. Wilson explains, “The primary reason illegal aliens come to our area is to work. The proposed ordinance penalizes employers for knowingly hiring illegals and requires them to verify worker identity through the E-Verify program. When work opportunities for illegal aliens evaporate, they will self-deport. This is an effective, humane method of preventing illegal immigration and supporting legal immigrants who obey the law.”
t is already against the law to hire illegal aliens but confusion and loopholes exist in the identity verification process allowing unscrupulous employers to hire them with impunity. The Ozarks Minutemen believe that an unwritten agreement exists between the employer, the employee, and the United States government: the employee provides acceptable ID that appears authentic, the employer asks no questions, and the US government looks the other way. E-verify provides an easy, effective means to screen applicants and remove doubt.
The Ozarks Minutemen seek to educate the public on the impact illegal immigration has on the community. They also identify and support political candidates who oppose illegal immigration, lobby state and local legislators on immigration legislation, and report illegal alien workers and the employers who hire them. Jerry Long, Director of the Minutemen, believes the proposed ordinance is necessary because the federal government is unwilling or unable to correct the problem of illegal immigration. “We believe that the United States government has failed in its responsibility to the American people with respect to border control and interior enforcement and that it is our duty as citizens, acting within the law, to prevent further damage. The best way we can do that is to place the proposed ordinance in front of the voters of Springfield and let them decide.”
Long believes that there is already an illegal alien presence in the Ozarks. “From direct observation, we believe that there are a surprising number of illegal aliens working in our area. Exact numbers are difficult to determine because illegals exist 'under the radar' often working for cash, using falsified driver's licenses, and bogus social security numbers. One only has to look at some of the local roofing and construction crews to see the problem.”
When ask about the impact of the proposed ordinance on city businesses, Director Jerry Long replies, “As a businessman, I am sensitive to the myriad rules and regulations under which we must operate. This ordinance, if passed by the city council or approved by voters, will not place an undue burden on businesses licensed by the city as long as they don't hire illegal aliens. Businesses are already required to complete an I-9 form (Employment Eligibility Verification) for each new employee and some businesses in Springfield already use E-Verify. E-Verify is free, available online, and easy to use.”
The proposed ordinance, if passed by the Springfield City Council or by voters, will affect all businesses licensed by the city and all businesses that do permitted work within Springfield.”
http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...ment-screening
Ozarks Minutemen Submit Petition to Stop Hiring of Illegal Aliens
(Springfield, MO) -- Springfield voters could get to decide whether to bar local businesses from hiring undocumented immigrants.

The Ozarks Minutemen group has submitted an initiative petition after gathering enough signatures for an ordinance that would make it illegal for businesses licensed by the City of Springfield to hire illegal aliens.

The proposed ordinance also calls for the mandatory use of E-Verify, a free, government-sponsored program which enables employers to easily determine the eligibility of a prospective employee to work in the United States.

Minuteman spokesman Jerry Wilson told OzarksFirst.com earlier this year that several members of the small group have lived in other areas of the country where illegal immigration has strained government and social programs. Most of the group's 12 to 15 members live in or around Springfield.

In January, Wilson cited a report from the Pew Hispanic Center that claimed there were 35,000 to 65,000 undocumented workers in Missouri in 2005.

"We think the citizens of Springfield are opposed to illegal immigration," said Wilson.

A Springfield city spokesperson says businesses are already required to verify an employee's status. But the Minutemen believe there needs to be more checks and balances.

The group announced in January that it would begin gathering signatures, which have now been turned in.

"We submitted 104 petitions containing over 2,400 signatures to the Springfield City Clerk's office earlier today," says Wilson in a press release. "The actual number of signatures needed, based on the April election, was 2,101. We eagerly await the certification of these petitions by the City Clerk."

The City Clerk now has 20 days to certify them as valid from registered voters living within the Springfield City limits. If there aren't enough signatures, it would be sent back to the Minutemen, who would have ten more days to get the additional signatures needed.

As with any initiative petition effort, if enough signatures are certified, the Springfield City Council can either vote to impose the ordinance or put the issue to a public vote.

The council would have 30 days to act. It would have to two readings of either option at regular Council meetings, which would give the public a chance to speak.

A City spokesperson tells KOLR/KSFX that at the very earliest, it could be on the November ballot. A February or April ballot measure would be more likely.

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=490297