National E-Verify Would Still Allow States to Suspend Violators’ Business Licenses

Rep. Lamar Smith introduced a bill Tuesday that would require of employers nationally to check immigration status of their employees by using the e-verify program. The bill would nationalize the mandatory e-verify requirements that have already been introduced by several states, but would still give localities authority to penalize offenders by suspending their business licenses.

The country would institute its own disciplinary actions for repeated offenders with possible fines up to $25,000 per illegal worker and prison time for employers who frequently hire illegal workers.

Compliance with the bill would slowly be phased in starting with businesses employing over 10,000 employees and working its way down to businesses employing one worker within two years after the bill is passed.

The bill would give agriculture businesses three years to comply with the e-verify program as agriculture currently relies heavily on illegal workers.

The bill is an attempt by lawmakers to lower the over 9% employment rate in America. As Lamar Smith said, quoted by The Packer, “Seven million people are working in the U.S. illegally. These jobs should go to legal workers.”

The House of Representatives may vote on the bill as early as August of this year and members expect it to pass in the predominantly Republican House.

Sen. Charles Grassley will initiate similar legislation in the Senate. Many Senate Democrats, however, do not want to pass the bill in its present form.

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