WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley today introduced legislation to reauthorize the E-Verify program, formerly the Basic Pilot program, a web-based tool that allows employers to verify the work eligibility of new employees. Grassley’s legislation also makes several needed improvements to the program, including additional information sharing between agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.
“Nobody could have imagined the sophistication of the documents that illegal aliens use to work in the United States, which has made the E-verify program an even more important and useful tool for employers,” Grassley said. “With a comprehensive immigration bill highly unlikely this year, we need to enhance the tools that are already on the books and make sure they remain available for employers who want to do their part to comply with the law.”
Grassley introduced amendments to the 2006 and 2007 comprehensive immigration bills that would have changed the verification and appeal procedures, and would have improved the ability of the federal government to go after employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens.
The basic pilot program was first authorized in 1996 allowing only five states to participate. The program was reauthorized in 2001 and then expanded in 2003. The last expansion allowed employers in all 50 states the opportunity to voluntarily use the program. The current E-verify program is set to expire in November. Currently more than 61,000 employers use the program. Grassley said he expects that number to grow.
Here are the provisions of the legislation.