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GUEST: Deepa Fernandes, author of “Targeted: National Security and the Business of Immigration”

Congress is currently considering a controversial immigration proposal known as the Save America through Verification and Enforcement Act. Introduced by the vehemently anti-immigrant Congressman Tom Tancredo and Democratic Representative Heath Shuler last year, the SAVE act is seen by many critics as a strictly deportation bill. If passed into law, the legislation would mandate that all employers use verification databases to check the immigration status of their employees. Also, local police authorities would be required to assist in federal immigration enforcement. Along the border, the SAVE act calls for more patrol agents while creating a financial incentive for those who report anyone seen assisting undocumented immigrants. Critics of the proposed legislation argue that due to database margins of errors, the employment status of hundreds of thousands of citizens and legal residents would be at risk. Additionally, people’s civil rights would also be endangered by the meshing of local police with federal immigration officials. Locally, the Los Angeles City Council overwhelmingly approved a recent resolution against the SAVE act. Other major cities such as Chicago, San Francisco and Boston are considering similar resolutions.