Cintas warned against firing immigrant force

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A Mississippi Democrat in line to become chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee has warned the nation's largest uniform supplier it faces criminal charges if it follows a White House proposal to recheck workers with mismatched Social Security numbers and fire those who cannot resolve the discrepancy in 60 days.

Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a letter to Cintas Corp. it could be charged with "illegal activities in violation of state and federal law" if any of its 32,000 employees are terminated because they gave incorrect Social Security numbers to be hired.

"I am deeply troubled by Cintas' recent policy change regarding the Social Security Administration's 'no match' letters," Mr. Thompson said in the Nov. 2 letter. "It is my understanding that hundreds of Cintas' immigrant workers have received these letters. I am extremely concerned about any potentially discriminatory actions targeting this community."

In June, President Bush proposed new guidelines concerning "no-match" letters from the Social Security Administration, saying he wanted to make it easier for employers to verify workers' eligibility and continue to hold them accountable for those they hire.

The Department of Homeland Security followed up on that announcement yesterday, formally releasing new regulations to help businesses comply with hiring requirements intended to reduce the hiring of illegal aliens -- including setting guidelines for businesses when handling "no-match" letters from the Social Security Administration.

The proposed regulation is subject to a 60-day public comment period.

"Most businesses want to do the right thing when it comes to employing legal workers," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "These new regulations will give U.S. businesses the necessary tools to increase the likelihood that they are employing workers consistent with our laws.

"They also help us to identify and prosecute employers who are blatantly abusing our immigration system."

But Mr. Thompson called the "no-match" letters a threat to workers who fail to reverify their information and called Cintas' actions a "rash enactment of a proposed DHS regulation." He said that by implementing "this incomplete regulation," Cintas could be in violation of federal immigration law.

The seven-term congressman also said before the proposal becomes law, it must go through a rule-making process, "which could radically change the regulation or kill it all together."