Q: What is E-Verify?
A: E-Verify is a nationwide voluntary andfree online system run jointly by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. It allows employers to check the employment eligibility and the validity of Social Security numbers of new hires. E-Verify works by giving employers the ability to compare an employee's federally mandated I-9 form with more than 500 million records heldin databases by the federal government. The program was created in 1996. Since then, I have been fighting to require federal contractors and subcontractors to use E-Verify tohelpensure thatthe federal government's workforce is legal. President Bush issued an executive order in 2007 that would ensure the federal government leads by example, but unfortunately, the Obama Administration postponed this rule several times. Last week, after a push from Congress,the administration announced that the rule would be implemented starting in September for companies that receive government contracts. The system provides employers with the necessary tool to comply with the law and maintain a legal workforce.
Q: How many employers use E-Verify?
A: E-Verify first started as a pilot program in six states. In 2003, Congress passed a law that I authored to expand the program, making it available to employers nationwide. More than 133,000 employers are enrolled to date. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, employers are registering to use E-Verifyat a rate of 1,200 companies per week. This year, employers have completed more than 5.9 million searches using E-Verify. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, E-Verify has confirmed 96.9 percent of employees legal to work within 24 hours while catching 2.8 percent of employees not eligible and trying to work illegally. I would encourage every employer to use this free, online system. I use it in my own offices. Employers can sign up to use E-Verify by visiting www.dhs.gov/e-verify.
Q: Are you currently working on any changes to the E-Verify program?
A: Under current law, employers may only check the work authorizations of newly hired employees. Businesses should have the choice to make sure their entire workforce is legally authorized to work in the United States. That's why I sponsored an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill that recently passed the Senate to allow employers to verify the work status of all their workers through the E-verify program. Since its creation, I have supported changes to the E-Verify program to ensure it works better for employers and employees. This program is a vital component of our immigration law and will likely be debated when the Senate turns to immigration reform legislation.