GAINESVILLE - A Gainesville School Board member wants to make sure the system is in compliance when it comes to state law on verifying immigration status.
David Syfan, who is also an attorney, said state law now requires local governments to comply with the law that requires contractors working for the system E-Verify their employees.
"I just want the school system to be in compliance with the requirements," Syfan said. "My understanding is we're supposed to require that and everybody that contracts with us has to do the E-Verify."
Syfan became curious about compliance during this week's regular board meeting after board members received forms without an indication that the school system implemented the law.
"It was unclear to me as to when they had implemented it," Syfan added. "If I understood Dr. Lakey right, they're in the process of being sure they're in compliance."
Dr. Elfreda Lakey is the Gainesville School System's Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Syfan added that as far as he know the system is complying with the new E-Verify law but he wanted make sure.
Georgia lawmakers passed a tough bill cracking down on illegal immigration, clearing the way for Gov. Nathan Deal to sign it. A major sticking point in the debate was whether private employers should be required to use a federal database called E-Verify to check the immigration status of new hires before they could get a business license or other papers needed to operate. Groups representing businesses, agriculture, restaurant owners and others had urged lawmakers to eliminate the E-Verify mandate, saying it would be too burdensome for employers.
Tuesday
June 17th, 2025
1:19AM
