Gov. Pat McCrory wasted no time in vetoing his second bill, one requiring contractors and sub contractors for state, county, and city governments to use the federal e-verify system to hire employees (HB 786).
McCrory said the bill was anti-jobs and would make it easier for businesses to circumvent federal immigration law:
“This legislation has a loophole that would allow businesses to exempt a higher percentage of their employees from proving they are legal U.S. citizens or residents. Every job an illegal immigrant takes is one less job available for a legal North Carolina citizen. We must do everything we can to help protect jobs for North Carolinians first and foremost.”
McCrory said the bill would expand the definition of “seasonal worker,” making more workers exempt from the requirement:
“This bill would make it easier to hire illegal immigrants. My job is to enforce state and federal law and to uphold the U.S. Constitution and I will use every tool necessary to do that and protect North Carolina jobs.”
