Employing Unauthorized Workers

When it comes to cracking down on employers who hire illegal aliens, the federal government should clean up its own house first, says a House Republican. Rep. Peter King of New York tells the Washington Times that a 2006 audit shows that seven federal agencies are among the largest employers of people with "non-work" Social Security numbers. These numbers were once used to qualify people for certain benefits programs, but not for work in the United States.

The Homeland Security and Commerce departments are writing regulations that would require federal contractors to use the E-Verify system to check employees' Social Security numbers to make sure they're actually eligible to work in this country, but agencies themselves aren't required to use the system.