Appropriations Bill Continues Controversial E-Verify Program
One small and largely overlooked part of the $44.1 billion Homeland Security budget that passed the Senate on Tuesday involves a provision to expand the
Jul 31, 2020590 Shares589.5K Views
One small and largely overlooked part of the $44.1 billion Homeland Security budget that passed the Senate on Tuesday involves a provision to expand the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verifyprogram, which relies on the Social Security database to verify a job applicant’s immigration status. Although the GOP lost out on its efforts to make the voluntary program mandatory for all federal contractors, the program was at least renewedfor use on a voluntary basis.
Lawmakers who favor comprehensive immigration reform say they’ll approve a verification program only as part of a larger package of reforms that include some opportunities for legalization of immigrants now living and working in the U.S. illegally. Many immigrants’ advocates complain that the E-Verify programand the database it relies upon are unreliable and too often create barriers to even legal immigrants and U.S. citizens seeking employment.
Meanwhile, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) complainedthat a plan he favored — to require double-layer fences along 700 miles of the border with Mexico — was dropped from the Senate negotiations.
Hajra Shannon
Reviewer
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