USCIS Update on E-Verify; More than 52,000 Employers Now Registered with the Program

13 Feb 2008

In a recent press release, USCIS announced that more than 52,000 employers have voluntarily registered to participate in E-Verify, the agency’s web-based employment authorization status verification program. USCIS also noted that more than 1,000 new employers register to participate in E-Verify each week.

“We began with a small number of pilot employers in five states testing the viability of such a program,” said Emilio Gonzalez, Director of USC IS. “Today, more than 52,000 employers across the nation are participating in E-Verify. This program is proving to be a key component in promoting the integrity of the employment verification process of our workforce. E-Verify is a valuable tool, and we congratulate the thousands of employers who are making a positive impact on our nation’s security.”

The web-based employment verification program, which USCIS operates in partnership with the Social Security Administration, enables participants to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their new hires. USCIS continues to expand the program; most recently, the agency launched a new photo screening tool that allows employers to compare a new hire’s photos against a Homeland Security database of roughly 15 million images. While the program is currently voluntary, some states, according to USCIS, “require certain employers to participate in and comply with a federal work authorization verification program.” In Arizona, for example, which requires detailed employer compliance to federal regulations, participation in E-Verify increased from 325 participants last year to 18,000 current participants.