George Lopez becomes E-Verify's latest victim
By ONANTZIN News
2011-08-12
Los Angeles, CA -- One week after nationally syndicated radio host El Cucuy de la Mañana was exposed as an undocumented worker by E-Verify, George Lopez, host of TBS' Lopez Tonight show, became the latest victim of the federal government's system that lets employers verify the residency status of an employee.
Lopez, who joined TBS in 2009, was abruptly fired on Thursday by the broadcasting company after its first ever E-Verify check revealed that the late night host is actually an illegal alien who had been working with a fake social security number all along.
Perplexed guests on Thursday's taping said the lights were shut down half way through the show. They reported hearing a whimpering, sniffling Lopez apologizing to the audience in complete darkness - a scene that evoked feelings of sympathy from everyone in attendance.
When the lights came back on, Lopez had been joined by two guests on the set. They purportedly asked him to turn around, put his hands above his head, spread his legs, and then arrested him. To add insult to injury, as Lopez was walked off the set, one of the arresting guards ordered the band to play Lopez' lowrider theme song, which they did.
Although the E-Verify system was designed for new hires, and employers are not required to run checks on existing employees through E- Verify, pressure from conservatives have forced several companies, including TBS, to apply the background check to existing employees.
Lopez' dismissal marks the 10th time this year that E-Verify has been used to expose high profile Latinos who were working with fake identities. Earlier this year, Dora the Explorer was released from PBS after E-Verify discovered that Dora was an illegal alien working with a social security number that belongs to a friend of her aunt.
Other victims include Machete's Danny Trejo and Jimmy Neutro's best friend, Sheen Estevez.
Lopez is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge next month to determine his faith.