Since the inception of E-Verify — the federal government’s largely voluntary employment eligibility verification system — in 1997, lawmakers have proposed making it mandatory for all employers.
The U.S. House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections debated the call for a national mandate during a hearing in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 19. Lawmakers discussed both the program’s promise and its shortcomings, including its inability to detect identity fraud.
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., chairman of the subcommittee, opened the hearing by extolling the virtues of the program. “E-Verify helps protect Americans from having their wages undercut by bad actors hiring unauthorized workers. It also helps to provide a level playing field for employers who play by the rules,” he said.
Since 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act has prohibited employers from knowingly hiring or employing unauthorized workers. All employers must review and verify documents establishing the identity and employment authorization of new hires.
Using E-Verify, an employer can verify a worker’s employment authorization electronically in a matter of seconds through the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases, Mackenzie said.
Approximately 98% of the time, the employer receives confirmation that employment is authorized, according to DHS reporting. When there is a mismatch, the employer informs the worker, who has 10 days to take action to resolve the issue.
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