Federation for American Immigration Reform

Support American Jobs — Call Your Senators NOW And Urge Them to Support the Grassley Amendment!

Yesterday, true immigration reformers won two crucial legislative victories!

During debate on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill, the U.S. Senate adopted two crucial amendments.  The first amendment, offered by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), requires DHS to complete all 700 miles of the border fence by the end of 2010 so that it will not just stop illegal alien vehicle traffic but also pedestrian traffic.  The second amendment, offered by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), will protect American jobs by making E-Verify, the program that allows employers to ensure that they hire legal American workers, permanent.  The Sessions Amendment also requires employers who do business with the federal government to use the program.

E-Verify is a great tool for America’s employers.  While the Sessions Amendment is a great victory for people who want to protect American jobs, there is another amendment, offered by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), that the Senate may consider today that would build on yesterday’s victory.

E-Verify only allows employers to check the work authorization status of new hires but not current employees.  Illegal aliens who currently hold jobs they never should have had can continue in those jobs because their employer, who may have unknowingly hired that illegal alien in the past, cannot use E-Verify today to ensure that they employ only legal workers.  Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) has offered an amendment that would, for the first time, allow employers to use E-Verify to check work eligibility for all their employees — not just new hires.

With unemployment now at a 25-year high, the Grassley Amendment would act as a true stimulus plan for unemployed Americans! If an employer discovers illegal aliens on his payroll, that employer can free up jobs for Americans who are out of work!

Unfortunately, FAIR has learned that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) may attempt to block the Senate from voting on the Grassley Amendment.  Late last night, Reid filed a cloture motion.  This motion will block all further debate on the bill and would block votes on any more amendments.  This means the Senate could pass the DHS bill without even allowing a vote on the Grassley Amendment!

Blocking a vote on this amendment would represent nothing more than pandering to the special interests who do not want our immigration laws enforced. Even well-known amnesty advocate and chair of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said yesterday on the Senate floor that E-Verify “probably should” be used to verify the work authorization status of existing employees!  That is exactly what the Grassley Amendment would do.

We need your help!! Here’s what you can do to help FAIR pass the Grassley Amendment and open up illegally-held jobs for American Workers:

  1. Call your Senators, and tell them to support the Grassley E-Verify Amendment. (Click here to find your Senators’ telephone numbers.)
  2. Urge the Senate to oppose cloture until Senator Grassley gets a vote on his amendment!
    With nearly 15 million Americans out of work — and with more than 8 million illegal aliens holding jobs in the United States — the least Reid can do is allow for an up-or-down vote on this crucial measure!
  3. Call Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at (202)-224-3542. Tell him that it’s unfair that illegal aliens can continue to hold jobs while so many Americans are hurting. Urge Reid to ignore special interests and allow the Senate to vote on the Grassley Amendment!

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FAIR is a non-partisan, non-discriminatory non-profit organization dedicated to securing our borders, ending illegal immigration and promoting immigration levels consistent with the national interest. FAIR relies solely on the tax-deductible contributions of citizens and philanthropic foundations.