AZ Legislature Fires Illegal Alien

This incident should help motivate employers, in particular the government, to complete background checks before hiring workers, not afterward.

From AZCentral:

Leaders in the Arizona House of Representatives discovered that a housekeeping employee hired in December had a Social Security number that did not match federal records.

Gilberto Melendez, 17, was fired Thursday, hours after the House approved a bill that imposes penalties on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers. As of Friday evening, he was not in custody of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

House Speaker Jim Weiers pointed to the incident as proof that federal worker-verification programs do work.

I would dispute the House Speaker's contention. Melendez was hired and working for three months, presumably with access to the entire House of Representatives, prior to being identified as a foreign national. If Melendez were an arsonist, a burglar, or a fanatical terrorist, three months would have been plenty of time to commit grievous harm.

Although Melendez wasn't apprehended, the Sheriff's office was notified of the situation and is investigating. Unknown, however, is how the House of Representatives will penalize themselves for hiring an illegal alien since it approved tougher legislation the same day that the Melendez mendacity surfaced. I suggest nothing will happen since lawmakers can usually get around complying with laws they pass.