White House budget commits $15 million to E-Verify

Budget Blueprint‘ released by the White House invests $15 million to begin implementation of mandatory nationwide use of the E-Verify Program. This investment would strengthen the employment verification process and reduce unauthorized employment across the U.S. The budget has received significant criticism for steep cuts and increased focus on defense. Despite that, few can argue with their support to strengthen employment verification processes, making workplaces safer for employers and employees alike. E-Verify is used by more than 600,000 employers at over 1.9 million hiring sites and joined by approximately 1,400 new participating companies every week. Just last month, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley reintroduced legislation to aid businesses in complying with immigration laws by certifying the legal status of their workforce. The Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act would permanently authorize and require employers to use the E-Verify program. “E-Verify is a proven tool for employers, including myself,  that helps reduce incentives for illegal immigration and safeguards job opportunities for Americans and other legal workers. Expanding the system to every workplace will improve accountability for all businesses and take an important step toward putting American workers first,” Grassley said. A 2016 Employment Verification Survey from the Society for Human Resource Management  showed strong support for mandatory electronic verification systems, with 83 percent of employers surveyed either strongly or somewhat supported E-Verify.]]>