Cintas warned against firing immigrant force

[falcon]

Cintas warned against firing immigrant force

By Jerry Seper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
November 28, 2006

A Mississippi Democrat in line to become chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee has warned the nation's largest uniform supplier it faces criminal charges if it follows a White House proposal to recheck workers with mismatched Social Security numbers and fire those who cannot resolve the discrepancy in 60 days.

Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a letter to Cintas Corp. it could be charged with "illegal activities in violation of state and federal law" if any of its 32,000 employees are terminated because they gave incorrect Social Security numbers to be hired.

"I am deeply troubled by Cintas' recent policy change regarding the Social Security Administration's 'no match' letters," Mr. Thompson said in the Nov. 2 letter. "It is my understanding that hundreds of Cintas' immigrant workers have received these letters. I am extremely concerned about any potentially discriminatory actions targeting this community."

In June, President Bush proposed new guidelines concerning "no-match" letters from the Social Security Administration, saying he wanted to make it easier for employers to verify workers' eligibility and continue to hold them accountable for those they hire.

The Department of Homeland Security followed up on that announcement yesterday, formally releasing new regulations to help businesses comply with hiring requirements intended to reduce the hiring of illegal aliens -- including setting guidelines for businesses when handling "no-match" letters from the Social Security Administration.

The proposed regulation is subject to a 60-day public comment period.
"Most businesses want to do the right thing when it comes to employing legal workers," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "These new regulations will give U.S. businesses the necessary tools to increase the likelihood that they are employing workers consistent with our laws.
"They also help us to identify and prosecute employers who are blatantly abusing our immigration system."

But Mr. Thompson called the "no-match" letters a threat to workers who fail to reverify their information and called Cintas' actions a "rash enactment of a proposed DHS regulation." He said that by implementing "this incomplete regulation," Cintas could be in violation of federal immigration law.

The seven-term congressman also said before the proposal becomes law, it must go through a rule-making process, "which could radically change the regulation or kill it all together."

Cintas has issued letters to 400 employees in five states telling them they will be indefinitely suspended if they cannot resolve their mismatched Social Security number within 60 days.

"Cintas, like all employers, has a legal obligation to ensure all employees are legally authorized to work in the U.S.," the firm said in a statement. "Cintas has not terminated any employees due to the Social Security mismatches and plans to continue its policy of placing these employees on indefinite leave until they produce the required documentation."

In his letter, Mr. Thompson said his "apprehension" over the proposed policy was echoed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which said the proposal could result in "circumstances in which employers have incentives to take actions that violate ... non-discriminatory provisions."

As Homeland Security Committee chairman, he would set the panel's agenda. Earlier this month, he also said Democrats planned to "revisit" legislation mandating 698 miles of fencing on the U.S.-Mexico border and might seek to scrap the plan.

Under existing rules, when a Social Security number does not match a name on a tax or employment eligibility document, the government sends a "no-match" letter asking that the discrepancy be resolved. Of 250 million wage reports the government receives each year, as many as 10 percent belong to employees whose names do not match their Social Security numbers.

"Identifying businesses that are habitually flagged for submitting mismatched Social Security numbers would bolster our worksite enforcement efforts," Mr. Chertoff said.

http://washingtontimes.com/national/...961r_page2.htm

[Backstop]

Well this just pissed me off!

Cintas warned against firing immigrant force

By Jerry Seper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
November 28, 2006

SNIP

Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a letter to Cintas Corp. it could be charged with "illegal activities in violation of state and federal law" if any of its 32,000 employees are terminated because they gave incorrect Social Security numbers to be hired.

SNIP

Rep. Bennie Thompson said company could be charged with violating state and federal for firing employees who gave an incorrect SSAN in order to be hired.

You have got to be shitting me.

If anyone - and I mean ANYONE - who knowingly gives a false SSAN in order to be hired needs to be fired, then jailed. If they're here illegally, they need to jailed immediately and deported soonest.

Don't people realize how much grief this could cause for the legitimate holder of that SSAN?

Don't people realize how much money this mess could cost the U.S.?

That is one of the most DF laws I've ever heard about.

[Backstop]

falcon, the article you posted is just more proof that we are doomed. We will NEVER recover.

It’s a damn crime to use an SSAN that is not yours.

Unfreakingbelievable.

http://www.ssa.gov/oig/hotline/index.htm#idtheft

Identity Theft
The use of your Social Security number by someone else to obtain credit, loans, telephone accounts, or other goods and services should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from those whose identities have been stolen. Although the FTC does not have the authority to bring criminal cases, the FTC can help victims of identity theft by providing information to assist them in resolving the financial and other problems that can result from this crime. The FTC puts your information into a secure consumer fraud database and may, in appropriate instances, share it with other law enforcement agencies and private entities, including any companies about which you may complain. You can reach the FTC directly by:

Calling toll-free at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338).



The FTC can also be reached at its website at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

U.S. DOJ

The Department of Justice prosecutes cases of identity theft and fraud under a variety of federal statutes. In the fall of 1998, for example, Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act . This legislation created a new offense of identity theft, which prohibits

knowingly transfer[ring] or us[ing], without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law.18 U.S.C. § 1028(a)(7). This offense, in most circumstances, carries a maximum term of 15 years' imprisonment, a fine, and criminal forfeiture of any personal property used or intended to be used to commit the offense.

Schemes to commit identity theft or fraud may also involve violations of other statutes such as identification fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1028), credit card fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1029), computer fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1030), mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), or financial institution fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344). Each of these federal offenses are felonies that carry substantial penalties ­ in some cases, as high as 30 years' imprisonment, fines, and criminal forfeiture.

Federal prosecutors work with federal investigative agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service to prosecute identity theft and fraud cases.

Here are some examples of recent cases:

Central District of California. A woman pleaded guilty to federal charges of using a stolen Social Security number to obtain thousands of dollars in credit and then filing for bankruptcy in the name of her victim.

SNIP

Middle District of Florida. A defendant has been indicted on bank fraud charges for obtaining names, addresses, and Social Security numbers from a Web site and using those data to apply for a series of car loans over the Internet.

SNIP

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-...id=publ318.105

SNIP

d) Definitions.--Subsection (d) of section 1028 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``(d) In this section-- ``(1) the term `document-making implement' means any implement, impression, electronic device, or computer hardware or software, that is specifically configured or primarily used for making an identification document, a false identification document, or another document-making implement; ``(2) the term `identification document' means a document made or issued by or under the authority of the United States Government, a State, political subdivision of a State, a foreign government, political subdivision of a foreign government, an international governmental or an international quasi- governmental organization which, when completed with information concerning a particular individual, is of a type intended or commonly accepted for the purpose of identification of individuals; ``(3) the term `means of identification' means any name or number that may be used, alone or in conjunction with any other information, to identify a specific individual, including any-- ``(A) name, social security number, date of birth, official State or government issued driver's license or identification number, alien registration number, government passport number, employer or taxpayer identification number; ``(B) unique biometric data, such as fingerprint, voice print, retina or iris image, or other unique physical representation; ``(C) unique electronic identification number, address, or routing code; or ``(D) telecommunication identifying information or access device (as defined in section 1029(e)); ``(4) the term `personal identification card' means an identification document issued by a State or local government solely for the purpose of identification; ``(5) the term `produce' includes alter, authenticate, or assemble; and ``(6) the term `State' includes any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any other commonwealth, possession, or territory of the United States.''.

SNIP

You know, sometimes I see things that are so damn stupid, I start to believe we deserve to be pounded into oblivion.

Sheesh...I'm so mad it took me forever to get these links right.

[Luke]

How crazy are these people? If there is a line between being (PC) and being stupid these folks have crossed way over. Much like a mind, a vote is aterrible thing to waste.

[Luke]

On a side note, my original Social Security card says, not for identification purpose. Never really mattered to me, but I noticed it is not on my reissued card.