Don't just tell me, show me. That seems to be the latest Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mantra as it seeks to turn more American employers into federal immigration officers. The newest tentacle on this well-fed octopus is a partnership between United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).
The seemingly benign "Records and Images verified by DMVs for E-Verify" (RIDE) initiative is an addendum to the error-prone, electronic employment eligibility verification program better known as E-Verify. For Americans seeking employment it is one more burden to bear in an already burdened jobs market.
RIDE's premise is very simple. In addition to verifying a person's eligibility to work in the U.S. by tapping into the Social Security database, participating employers may now punch a few more numbers to help them determine if the applicant's face matches DMV's records and if the driver's license or ID is being used fraudulently. DHS is quick to add that this program has nothing to do with the Real ID Act of 2005.
So why is it that as of January 2010, only 2.5 percent of approximately 7.4 million employers in the U.S. have enrolled in E-Verify?
Setting aside costs (estimated at $27,000 for a small business), the need for high-speed internet access (required but not always available at farms or many small businesses), and the perception by employers that E-verify enrollment is not "easy" or "efficient," the program must contend with a much more serious issue: human error. Spell a name slightly different, miss a digit on a social security number, or apply for a job a few months after changing your legal status and complications are very likely to follow both the employee and the employer.
E-verify, in spite of its massive and consistent error rate, continues to be the darling of many worksite enforcement fans in Congress and in the community. According to DHS, the program discourages those who are not authorized to work in the country from actually working. With the addition of RIDE, the program seeks to reduce document fraud and improve the overall friendly E-verify experience. Any American looking for a job will also be discouraged from doing so if the process entails a very personal and not always trustworthy search of personal information that heretofore was not accessible to anyone but the individual.
Every one of the 50 states is free to adopt the system or ignore it. So far, only Arizona has agreed to participate. California has said no thank you, for now. This voluntary program, which will begin piloting in the next few weeks, can only mean one more thing to employers and job seekers everywhere: one more hoop to jump through during a period when what we need the least is more Big Brother breathing down our necks and more of our private, personal information out for the world to see. It is also one more clear indication that more of the same has not gotten us closer to fixing our broken immigration system.
This RIDE is taking us to an undisclosed location, and we should all be very weary of coming along. On the other hand, a more serious, practical and tough solution is now on the table, and Congress must take up the issue as part of an economic recovery package.