if ($event eq 'JOIN') {

    # Read in protected user ids
    open (my $protected_fh, '<', $protected)
        or die "Unable to open $protected: $!\n";

    my @protected = <$protected>;
    chomp @protected;

    close(PROTECTED)
        or die "Unable to close $protected: $!\n"

    # Verify that $user[0] is not protected.
    foreach my $protected_uid (@protected) {

        if( $protected_uid eq $user[0] ) {
            sock( join "\n",
                "PRIVMSG $tag",
                '',
                ":$user[0] Is A Protected User! $protected_uid",
            );
            last;  # stop processing after first match found.
        }    
    }
}