Jim Gilchrist, MMP Exclusive — Not fooled by current immigration reform proposals that merely pay lip service to border security, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the ranking member on the Senate judiciary committee, last week introduced legislation that would require all employers to confirm the legality of their employees through E-Verify.
The Internet-based system provides employers with a tool to determine the eligibility of employees to work in the United States, and is known to be 99% accurate.
Right now, however, use of the system is voluntary. Through the E-Verify system, employers submit information reported on an employee’s Form I-9 to the Department of Homeland Security, which works with the Social Security Administration to determine worker eligibility.
“E-Verify will safeguard opportunities for legal workers and give employers a reliable tool to have a legal workforce,” Grassley said. Mandatory use of E-Verify will also deter illegal border crossings, since job seekers would not be able to pass a background check.
Under Grassley’s proposed expansion of E-Verify, employers who fail to participate could face penalties of $10,000 to $25,000 per violation.
Grassley’s Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act of 2013 would be made mandatory for all employers within one year of its enactment and once instituted, would be permanent.
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