Ms. Heather Bates 2 July, 2008
Clerk of Commission
Hall County Board of Commissioners
Hall County, Georgia

As of July 1st, 2007, the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act (SB 529 – HERE) of 2006 requires that all public employers make use of the no-cost federal employment eligibility verification system now called “E-Verify”. (HERE) to insure employment eligibility of newly hired employees. (Section 2)

Also, as of July 1st 2008 that all contractors and subcontractors with 100 or more employees entering into a contract or performing work for public employers be required to demonstrate use of the E-Verify system.

Under current Georgia Dept. of Labor regulations, an affidavit from the bidding contractor is required to demonstrate use of the E-Verify system. (HERE)

Section 9 of the law requires that all government agencies in Georgia use the federal ‘Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements’ (SAVE) (HERE) data base to verify the eligibility of all applicants for public benefits. Further, that all applicants – under penalty of false swearing – sign an affidavit attesting to either U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status/lawful presence in the United States.

For any applicant who has executed an affidavit that he or she is an alien lawfully present in the United States, eligibility for benefits must be made using the (SAVE) program.

Additionally, the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act requires each state agency or department which administers any program of state or local public benefits to provide an annual report with respect to its compliance with this Code section.

Public benefits include all “professional licenses, or commercial licenses provided by an agency of a State or local government or by appropriated funds of a State or local government” (8USC1621 HERE).

Please consider this my formal open records request for copies of all documents relating to Hall County’s compliance with sections 2 and 9 of the law, including copies of the Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the United States Department of Homeland Security for both E-Verify and the SAVE system from 1 July, 2007 to 1 July, 2008, inclusive.

I ask that copies of all affidavits from all contractors allowed to bid on public jobs attesting to use of the E-Verify system, copies of all affidavits from all applicants for public benefits – including new issue or renewal of commercial (business) licenses from the same time period – be included as well as a copy of the annual report required by law on compliance with section 9…the SAVE program.

Thank you,

D.A. King
President, the Dustin Inman Society
www.TheDustinInmanSociety.org

Marietta, Ga.

NOTE: THe same letter was sent to Gainesville, Ga. government