Page 181 - An Indispensible Resource for Being a Credible Activist

cooperatively with Federal officials. The State Governor directed the State commissioners of
public safety, corrections, and commerce to take appropriate actions and enter into the nec-
essary agreements to work cooperatively as part of the Agreement of Cooperation in
Communities to Enhance Safety and Security program. This agreement will allow immigra-
tion cross-designation (pursuant to section 287(g) of the Federal Immigration and
Nationality Act, as well as allow a select number of State law enforcement officers working
with ICE to assist ICE in enforcing Federal customs laws as part of the ICE task force oper-
ations relating to narcotics smuggling; money laundering; human smuggling and trafficking;
perpetrating fraud; and targeting, dismantling, and seizing illicit proceeds from criminal
companies that exploit the immigration process through identity theft and fraud.
Worker privacy. The State Statutes 2007 Supplement, Section 325E.59, was amended by
the inclusion of a clarification of the activities that may not be performed by a person or
entity, not including a government entity. The selling of Social Security numbers obtained
from individuals in the course of business is now prohibited. However, if the release of such
numbers is incidental to a larger transaction and is necessary to identify the individual in
order to accomplish a legitimate business purpose, or if the release is for the purpose of mar-
keting, then the release does not constitute selling. Social Security numbers may be included
in applications and forms sent by mail, including documents sent as part of an application
or enrollment process; documents that seek to establish, amend, or terminate an account, a
contract, or a policy; and documents that seek to confirm the accuracy of the Social Security
number. The number may not be included on the outside of a mailing or in the bulk mail-
ing of a credit card solicitation offer. Access must be restricted so that only an agency’s
employees, agents, or contractors who require access to records containing the number in
order to perform their job duties are able to obtain the information.

MISSISSIPPI

Immigrant protection. The legislature declared that it is a compelling public interest of the
State to discourage illegal immigration by requiring all agencies within the State to cooper-
ate fully with Federal immigration authorities in the enforcement of Federal immigration
laws. Thus, the State Employment Protection Act was enacted. The act requires employers
in the State to hire only legal citizens or legal aliens of the United States. Every employer
shall register with and utilize the e-verify system to verify the Federal employment authori-
zation status of all newly hired employees. It shall be a discriminatory practice for an
employer to discharge an employee working in the State who is a citizen or permanent res-
ident alien of the United States while retaining an employee who the employing entity
knows, or reasonably should have known, is an unauthorized alien hired after July 1, 2008,
and who is working in a job category that requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and
that is performed under similar working conditions, as the job category held by the dis-
charged employee. An employing entity that, on the date of the discharge in question, was
enrolled in and used the e-verify system to verify the employment eligibility of its employ-
ees in the State after July 1, 2008, shall be exempt from liability, investigation, or suit aris-
ing from any action under the act. Employers who violate the provisions of the act shall be
subject to the cancellation of any State or public contract, resulting in ineligibility, for up to
164 The H R Toolkit