Congressman Ken Calvert has reintroduced the Legal Workforce Act, designated as H.R. 251, aiming to mandate the use of E-Verify by U.S. employers to confirm the work eligibility of new hires. The act is intended to secure jobs for citizens and legally authorized workers.
Rep. Calvert stated, “I believe American jobs should go to people legally authorized to work in our country and am reintroducing the Legal Workforce Act to make the use of E-Verify mandatory.” He emphasized that a mandatory workforce verification system is essential for addressing immigration issues and protecting American workers’ wages from being undercut by illegal labor.
The E-Verify program, initially authored into law by Rep. Calvert in 1996, allows employers to voluntarily verify the legal status of new employees. Operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it checks Social Security numbers against federal records, confirming 99.8% of eligible employees quickly.
Currently, nearly 1.4 million American employers use E-Verify, with all federal contractors required to participate. Twenty-three states have some form of mandatory E-Verify usage for certain employers.
The Legal Workforce Act proposes several changes:
1. Repeal of Paper I-9 System: The act would replace the paper-based I-9 system with an electronic process but allows continued paper use if preferred.
2. Gradual Phase-In: The requirement for businesses to use E-Verify will be phased in over two years based on company size.
3. Strengthened Penalties: Employers hiring illegal immigrants knowingly face increased penalties; false information submission also incurs penalties.
4. Safe Harbor Provision: Employers using E-Verify in good faith are protected from prosecution despite receiving incorrect confirmations.
