E-Verify Passes House in Stimulus Bill

The House passed its version of the stimulus package tonight, which included provisions requiring the use of E-Verify to ensure that all new jobs go to citizens and legal immigrants. The Senate has yet to pass its version, so there is still an opportunity to add E-Verify by amendment. Rep. Ken Calvert of California and Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia led the house effort.
 

 
Representatives Calvert and KingstonRep. Calvert’s amendment calls for a five year extension for E-Verify, which is currently set to expire in March.

“If the stimulus package creates millions of jobs, which the Majority party is claiming, I want to be absolutely sure that those jobs are going to American workers or legal residents, not illegal aliens,” said Rep. Calvert through a press release. “While I am opposed to the stimulus package as a whole, I felt it was necessary to improve the legislation in the limited ways allowed by the Majority Party. Extending the authorization for E-Verify ensures that employers will continue to have the only tool available to them to check the work authorization status of new employees.”

Rep. Kingston’s amendment requires that any jobs created under the stimulus plan be verified through E-Verify.

“We’ve got a federal program on our hands that actually works. It’s ninety-nine percent effective. I can’t think of a single federal program with that success rate. Only in Washington would it make sense to let it die,” Congressman Kingston said.