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Fool-Proof, Tamper-Proof ID E. Ralph Hostetter More than one Republican presidential candidate appearing in Tuesday's debate on Fox News mentioned the necessity for a fool-proof, tamper-proof ID card for use in solving America's illegal immigration problem. This same card could serve multiple purposes and solve major problems. Not only could it be used for a planned and valid immigrant documentation system, but it could be used universally for identification by every legally registered voter at the precinct polling place, eliminating voter fraud. It would also repair and correct extensive fraud and counterfeiting of cards in the U.S. Social Security system. The administrative structure and the vehicle itself already exists in one of America's most highly respected agencies: the U.S. Social Security Administration. Millions of U.S. citizens, with valid Social Security cards, were added to the rolls of Medicare Health Insurance without a blip. A letter A or B was added at the end of the Social Security number and the individual was registered automatically. Every citizen who has income from any source in the United States possesses a Social Security card. To benefit from this program, re-registration of all existing Social Security cards would be necessary. Re-registration points could be established at or near the 33,000 voting precinct locations in the United States, utilizing additional authorized voting registration personnel supervised by local boards of elections.
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Applicants for re-registration would produce a valid birth certificate, a naturalization certificate or a valid passport for proof of citizenship, in addition to other vital information from a re-registration application. A digital photo and a fingerprint scan would be taken at this point. Fingerprint and vital information would be encoded in a magnetic strip on the back of the new card (as with a credit card), with the photograph on the front (as on a driver's license). Green card holders would be handled separately, with a Social Security card colored green. The new card becomes a photo ID wherever required, adding to airline and other travel security. Having identified all U.S. residents who are legal, all others can be isolated and identified as illegal.
This opens the door for a documented or guest-worker program that is manageable. Rigid laws governing the employment of illegal immigrants must be enacted with resulting severe penalties for employers who do not comply. The employer has the need for the immigrant for his company's workforce and as such must be held responsible for all requirements of employment.
The employer must be responsible for all documents required for a time-limited contract (two to four years, for example) complete with Social Security card bearing photograph, with expiration date of contract embossed on the front and fingerprint and additional codes and information placed in a magnetic strip on the back of the documentation card to prevent counterfeiting. The card would be a different color, identifying it as different from a regular Social Security card. The employer must be responsible for reporting major changes in employee relationships, such as dismissals, extended absences or prolonged illnesses to immigration authorities. Upon completion of worker contract or dismissal from employment, the employer must be responsible for return of the employee to his home of origin, including transportation costs. Objections to this simple solution to a complicated problem will no doubt abound. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will be first in line, screaming about a national registration with accompanying charges of violation of privacy. Every U.S. citizen is registered, one way or another, today. At some point, U.S. citizens have to decide whether or not their culture, their economy, their personal safety and that of their children is worth sacrificing for the sake of an already compromised right, rather than have a national registry. They have lost this presumed privacy through the natural course of their existence somewhere in the public arena long ago. If the ACLU or anyone else in the United States has a better idea, he or she is obligated to let the nation know! E. Ralph Hostetter, a prominent businessman and agricultural publisher, also is a national and local award-winning columnist. He welcomes comments by e-mail sent to eralphhostetter@yahoo.com.
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