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WORKING WITH IMMIGRATION FORMS
The most common immigration document president in connection with employment verification procedures is the Resident Alien Card, commonly called a "green card." The term green card is a genertic term because the Alien Registration Receipt Card (the formal name for the green card) has not been green since the late 1950s. This document is evidence that an alien is residing lawfully in the United States.
Unfortunately, the green card is also widely counterfeited for use by undocumented aliens in obtaining employment.
How can an employer distinguish between a genuine and counterfeit card? According to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services, here are some thing to look for when examining a Resident Alien Card. It should be noted that this information is not all inclusive, nor does it mean that any one thing standing by itself means that a document is fraudulent.
- The printing at the top of the card on the photo side should be crisp and clear with no broken or smudged letters.
- The two small lines above and below the words "U.S. Department of Justice-Immigration and Naturalization Service" should be evenly spaced and unbroken.
- The photo is an integral part of the document - it should not be raised nor should it appear to have been cut out and glued on to the document.
- The blue round background seal of the Department of Justice should be of excellent quality, i.e. the eagle, the lettering around the seal and the rope on the outer edge of the seal should all be clear and crisp. These details should not look like they were hand drawn.
- The colors on the reverse side of the card should change gradually from pink to blue.
- In addition, please see the specific information about each document that is contained in the pamphlet.
The employer is responsible for examining any acceptable documents presented by an employee as evidence of employment eligibility. The documents must appear to be genuine and relate to the individual presenting them.
"Pink" I-551 Resident Alien Card (bearer may live and work in the United States)
- FRONT:
- Pink background (blue header bar)
- Blue I.N.S. seal overlaps photo area
- Repeating "I-551" becomes visible when card is tilted under normal light
- Color gradually changes from pink toblue with map of United States in white
- Three lines of machine readable printing at bottom on white background
BACK:
"White" I-551 Resident Alien Card (bearer may live and work in the United States)
- White background (blue header bar)
- Salmon lines cover the photo in an unbroken pattern
- Printing detail in eagle is excellent
FRONT:
- Pale green background
- Map of United States in white
- Three lines of machine readable codes
BACK:
| Come Together |
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Making the conscious effort to work with immigrant employees to provide a work environment considerate of their individual needs can go a long way in determining a company’s success tapping into this workforce. Stiles Landscape Service, Pompano Beach, Fla., instituted bi-yearly roundtable meetings with its immigrant employees, 70 percent of which are Haitian. "We get more participation from these employees with each roundtable," noted Joe Janssen, president. Key issues that have arisen during the discussions have centered on the employees’ compensation, although Janssen cautioned that employees are typically cautious about speaking their honest opinions at the first few meetings. "The most important issue to our employees is having the opportunity to work five to eight hours overtime per week in the summer," remarked Janssen. "We found out that one of the reasons more of the employees haven’t been taking classes to learn to speak English is because they were working a second job in order to meet their financial obligations. "As a result, we allowed planned overtime on specified projects this year to accommodate their request," he added. Janssen also noted that while he agrees that immigrant employees are primarily focused on take-home income when they start work, additional benefits are becoming increasingly important to them. "As this workforce is maturing, these employees are looking for benefits beyond health insurance, such as a 401(k)," he said. "If we are going to keep our employees, we have to provide wages that allow them to sustain themselves and contribute to their families." |
ASK INS
Got a question for the INS? Just find your state below and the phone number for the district office serving your state.
NOTE: Not all district offices are in the states they serve.
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Click here to check out the INS web site: www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/index.htm
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