From: "Mark C. Henderson" <mch@squirrel.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Aug 1996 13:39:24 +0800
To: Bill Stewart <tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)
Subject: Re: Internal Passports
In-Reply-To: <199608070259.TAA17424@toad.com>
Message-ID: <9608071707.TE12105@squirrel.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Aug 6, 19:59, Bill Stewart wrote:
> Subject: Re: Internal Passports
> At 07:37 PM 8/5/96 -0700, you wrote:
> If you're _employing_ Anglos, you're currently required to disrespect their
> honesty and demand proof that their papers are in order to fill out the I-9
> form.
> There's a list of "one from column A or one from columns B and C"
> of acceptable papers, such as passports, birth certificates,
> driver's licenses, US Military ID, etc., which the government uses
>... 
> None of that is really proof of citizenship - after all, you could 
> have renounced your US citizenship and become stateless or joined 
> a foreign government.

Driver's licence and social security card are currently enough.

Before 1989 (or so, I'm not sure about the cutoff) the SSA issued 
unrestricted social security cards to people on temporary visas who 
had authorization to work for some period (e.g. students on an F-1 
visa could then work on campus - and the SSA would issue an ordinary 
unrestricted social security card). After 1989, I understand, that social 
security cards issued under these circumstances are marked "not 
valid for employment without INS documentation" or something similar. 

So, it is perfectly possible to have a social security card and a 
driver's licence without having the right to work in the U.S. The I-9 
documentation doesn't prove anything. 

I note that California requires some sort of documentation (birth 
cert, INS documentation etc.) for a new driver's licence. Don't know
about other states.  

probably related story:
This might explain why in 1994 when I was travelling back home to 
Vancouver B.C. from Europe via the states (cheap ticket), the U.S. 
immigration officer asked me "Do you have a social security number?". 
I said yes. She then asked "do you have your social security card 
with you?" I didn't have it, and said so. She asked to see my ticket 
on to Vancouver, and that was it. I thought it was weird at the time 
as I'm used to various questions, and hearing one that I didn't 
expect at least made the experience mildly interesting. 

-- 
Mark Henderson -- mch@squirrel.com, henderso@netcom.com, markh@wimsey.bc.ca
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