On June 14th, 2011, legislation that would change how American employers verify the eligibility of job candidates and new hires was introduced in the House of Representatives. The Legal Workforce Act of 2011 (H.R. 2164) would require all employers in the country to use E-Verify, the federal government’s electronic verification system, and would eliminate the I-9 immigration status form.
According to a summary of the proposal, the new employment verification processes would be phased in over two years once the bill is enacted. The chief sponsor of the bill, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, told reporters that the measure had the potential to open up millions of jobs to individuals who are eligible to work in the U.S. “Jobs are scarce,” said Smith, who is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “Despite record unemployment, 7 million people work in the U.S. illegally. These jobs should go to legal workers.”
The legislation has strong support among GOP leaders in the House, and there is indication that several House Democrats would vote to pass the bill. According to sources, President Obama has expressed interest in developing a nationwide electronic verification system and would most likely sign the H.R. 2164.
The measure would eliminate use of the I-9 verification form and replace it with a more sweeping electronic verification system. The bill would establish a pilot program for biometric verification under which biometric verification techniques would be tested in several states.
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