Get ready for another immigration fight: Greg Siskind, one of the top immigration lawyers in the county, reports in his immigration bulletin that the government is getting ready to propose a new rule for Social Security "no-match" letters — the notices to companies that employees who are working for them have Social Security numbers that don't check out right with Social Security records.

The Department of Homeland Security hopes to use letters to weed out illegal aliens who are using bogus Social Security numbers. After his immigration bill failed for a second time, President Bush vowed to do what he could under existing law to crack down on employers who hire illegal aliens, and the letters are a key tool.

But DHS's first attempt last summer was challenged by unions, rights groups and businesses, and a court called for a full trial to determine if the rule was too burdensome. Rather than fight, DHS withdrew the proposal and promised to come back with another one. That day apparently is at hand.

Last time, businesses complained they didn't want to have to fire employees who hadn't resolved their problems within 90 days. The key question will be what sort of accommodations DHS makes to businesses in the new rule. Whatever DHS does, expect this new rule to end up right back in the courts.

— Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times

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