Representing North Carolina’s Ninth District                                                                        

Rep. Myrick Announces New Bills to Protect Social Security Numbers and Stop NC From Hiring Illegal Aliens To Work On Taxpayer Funded Projects

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Sue Myrick (NC-9), announced that she will be introducing four new bills that would protect American’s Social Security numbers, and prevent North Carolina from giving tax dollars to contractors who hire illegal aliens.  Myrick’s prepared statement from today’s press conference announcing these bills is below.   

 Rep. Myrick’s first bill will require the Social Security Administration to report to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when more than one person is using a Social Security Card or if the number on the card is false.  It is estimated that 4.5 to 7.2 million Social Security cards are used by illegal aliens to obtain employment.  Myrick’s bill would allow DHS to investigate and crack down on illegal aliens who are using an American’s Social Security Card to gain employment. 

 Rep. Myrick will also introduce a bill that would require the Social Security Administration to notify American citizens when it is detected that other people are using their Social Security number.  Right now, the Social Security Department knows when a card is being used more than once, but they do not inform the person their identity could be stolen.  This is wrong, and Rep. Myrick’s bill would make sure Americans are aware if they are in danger of identity theft.  

 Rep. Myrick will introduce a third bill aimed at North Carolina’s misuse of tax dollars.  Currently, the state hires contractors who hire illegal aliens to complete state projects such as road construction.  Rep. Myrick will introduce legislation that states that any contractor who knowingly employs illegal aliens to work on any project (federal, state, or local) that uses federal tax dollars, will have the contract stripped from them and they will receive no federal contract for a period of two years.  In addition, the bill will state that any project, state or local,  that receives federal funding and is found to have illegal aliens working on the project will lose all federal funding for that particular project.

 Most every major project the state is working on receives federal funding to help complete the project.  Rep. Myrick hopes this legislation will encourage North Carolina to stop sending tax dollars into the pockets of illegal aliens, unless they want to lose federal tax dollars.   

 Last, Rep. Myrick will introduce a bill that will no longer allow a drivers license to be used for employment verification purposes IF the drivers license was issued by a state that still accepts taxpayer id numbers.  Currently, North Carolina accepts tax payer id numbers to give out drivers licenses.  This allows illegal aliens to obtain NC drivers licenses with nothing more than a slip of paper with numbers on it.  This happens despite the federal government urging NC to stop accepting them, and despite the fact that 44 other states have outlawed the practice.  Rep. Myrick hopes that this bill will light a fire under the feet of North Carolina’s leadership so that they end this practice.   

To read more about Rep. Myrick and work on illegal immigration, please visit her website: http://www.myrick.house.gov/hot_topics_immigration_issues.shtml

Myrick’s Prepared Remarks at Today’s Press Conference:

I am here today to announce four pieces of legislation:
 
I am introducing a bill that would require the Social Security Administration to report to the Department of Homeland Security when more than one person is using a Social Security Card or if the number on the card is false.
 
No longer will an illegal alien be able to put down 000-00-000 and pretend we didn't notice that its not a valid Social Security Number.  No longer will illegal aliens be able to use the Social Security Number of a legal American.
 
I have learned that in some instances, literally dozens if not hundreds of illegal aliens are using the social security numbers of Americans, without the Americans knowledge. 

Let me give you an example. 

A woman from Chicago applied for a job last year at a Target store, and was denied.  She was denied because she already worked there -- or rather, her Social Security number already worked there.  She later found out her Social Security number had been used to obtain work at 37 other jobs. 

This is happening all over the country and this is ABSURD!!! And that's why I am introducing a bill that would require the Social Security Administration to notify American citizens when it is detected that other people are using their Social Security Number.
 
As far as I am concerned, once the government issues you a Social Security Card, it is private property and no one else has any right to it.  During 2002, 9 million people paid taxes with mismatched names and Social Security Numbers.

Between 50 and 80 percent are illegal aliens using a stolen or manufactured Social Security number. That means millions of Americans had their cards used by illegal aliens.  But, the bureaucrats at Social Security Administration don’t tell these Americans.  Their ID gets stolen and they are left in the dark. 

Let me be clear.  Illegal aliens who are using fraudulent social security numbers to get a job are committing a felony, and this felony is not a victimless crime.  It endangers American citizens and their livelihoods. It is wrong, and I will fight to stop it.
 
I will also introduce a bill aimed directly at my home state of North Carolina, who is awarding contracts to contractors employing illegal aliens. 

This bill will stipulate that any contractor who knowingly employs illegal aliens to work on any project (federal, state, or local) that uses federal tax dollars, will have the contract stripped from them,  and make them ineligible for any federal contract for a period of two years.

In addition, the bill will state that any project, state or local, that receives federal funding and is found using illegal aliens to work on the project….will lose all federal funding for that particular project.

Most every major state project receives federal funding to help complete the projects. 

I hope this legislation will encourage North Carolina to stop sending tax dollars into the pockets of illegal aliens, unless they want to lose federal tax dollars.   

Finally I will introduce one additional piece of legislation this week. 
 
In North Carolina and five other states, you can get a drivers license based on showing a taxpayer id number as proof of identity. Since an illegal alien can be in possession of a valid taxpayer id number, I am against North Carolina using the taxpayer id number as proof of identity.
 
44 other states in the Union agree with me, and that is why they outlawed the practice.  In addition, the US Department of the Treasury, who issues the tax id numbers, has repeatedly told states not to use them for identity purposes.  Yet, North Carolina continues to do so.
 
Since, drivers licenses are also used for employment verification purposes, and since the NC drivers license can easily be in the hands of illegal aliens: I will introduce legislation that will no longer allow a drivers license to be used for employment verification purposes IF the drivers license was issued by a state that still accepts taxpayer id numbers. 
 
I hope this will light a fire under the cold feet of our NC Leadership so they will wake up to this problem.  Thank you. I will now take a few questions. 

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