Mandatory E-Verify Included in Trump’s 2019 Budget Proposal

On Feb. 19, 2018, President Donald Trump released his proposed 2019 fiscal year budget, beginning Oct. 1, 2018.

In his proposal, President Trump allocates $23 million to be invested in expanding the E-Verify program to mandatory nationwide use.

Since 1996, E-Verify has been voluntary for most employers. It also has become mandatory for federal contractors, certain state contractors, and employers that want to implement science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) when hiring foreign graduates of U.S. universities.

Although it is not currently required at a federal level, many states have laws that either require or encourage some employers to use E-Verify including:

• Arizona and Mississippi: Required (all employers)
• South Carolina: Encouraged (all employers)
• Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Utah: Required (public contractors)
• Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Utah: Required (state agencies)

What is E-Verify?

E-Verify is a system administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Verification Division and the Social Security Administration.

The system itself is Internet-based and uses information from an employee’s I-9 form and Employment Eligibility Verification, the DHS and Department of State (DOS) records to confirm the employee is authorized to work the in the U.S.

GovDocs will be following this subject as it develops. Check back on this subject at Labor Law News – updates to come!