The national unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in February. In Oregon the unemployment rate is just shy of 11 percent at 10.8% as of 3/17/2009. It is unconscionable that American citizens and legal immigrants have to compete for jobs against illegal aliens. The E-Verify system is an efficient, fast and a free service for employers. Over 3000 companies in Oregon have volunteered for E-Verify.

Oregon should join with the 15 states that have required some companies to use the system.

A construction company in Kansas City, Mo. became the 100,000th member to use the verification tool.

“We congratulate The Bratton Corporation for joining the thousands of employers who participate in E-Verify, and whose numbers are growing by a thousand each week,” said USCIS Acting Deputy Director Mike Aytes in a USCIS press release. “They all have taken a significant step toward maintaining the integrity of the American workforce.”

Since October of 2008, more than 2 million employer inquiries have been run through E-Verify and more than 18 million since 1997. Approximately 96.1 percent of qualified workers are verified through the system and 99.6 percent of valid employees are verified without first receiving tentative non-confirmation.

E-Verify is voluntary, but 15 states have laws that require at least some employers to use the system.