Ritchie Continues Fight for Tough Immigration Bill
Vows to shut down Senate to get vote on bill.
Columbia, SC – Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg) today continued his fight for a tough illegal immigration reform bill. Senator Ritchie took the Senate floor and vowed to shut down all other legislation until senators agree to address a stronger standard for private employer verification by removing the I-9 from the list of options available to confirm someone’s employment eligibility. Senator Ritchie offered an amendment to H.3032 that would remove the federal I-9, leaving E-Verify and the South Carolina Driver’s License as the primary methods of confirming employment eligibility for new hires.
“I made a commitment to the people of South Carolina to use every method available to get a strong illegal immigration bill through the General Assembly this session; today is the next step in that commitment,” says Senator Ritchie. “There is not another issue more important than illegal immigration this legislative session.”
The Senate continues its efforts to create a strong, comprehensive illegal immigration reform bill for the people of South Carolina. As the failures of the I-9 system become more apparent, the Senate continues to look for opportunities to create the strongest bill possible and stem the flow of illegal immigration into the state. Using the House bill prevents the House from rejecting the bill due to the procedural requirements of the May 1 crossover deadline.
“I applaud Senator Ritchie in his efforts to get E-Verify through the Senate,” says Senate President Pro Tempore Senator Glen McConnell (R-Charleston). “This is the number one issue for the people of South Carolina. The House has created a logjam in the conference committee and the Senate continues to look for new opportunities to produce a tough illegal immigration reform bill this session. The Senate is still the only chamber that has voted on private employers and we are working to make sure the House finally has the opportunity to vote on the issue of private employers.”
E-Verify is an Internet-based system operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in partnership with the Social Security Administration. E-Verify is currently free to employers and is available in all 50 states. E-Verify provides an automated link to federal databases to help employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
The Senate adjourned today with Senator Ritchie retaining the floor. Additional debate on E-Verify and illegal immigration is expected to continue when the Senate convenes tomorrow (Wednesday, April 30) at 11:00 A.M.
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