Thread: Bush Admin. Delays E-Verify Regulation for Fed. Contractors

I don't know if this was posted previously.

From FAIR Legislative Update 1-12-09

Bush Administration Caves into Pressure and Delays E-Verify Regulation for Federal Contractors

Last week, the Bush Administration announced its intent to postpone a new regulation set to go into effect January 15th that would have required virtually all federal contractors to use E-Verify, the voluntary program run by the Department of Homeland Security that helps employers verify the work authorization of employees. (The Hill, January 9, 2009). Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff first announced the E-Verify regulation August 10, 2008, stating he wanted the government to "lead by example." (Remarks by Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, August 10, 200. The move was hailed by true immigration reformers as a significant step towards curbing the employment of illegal aliens and reducing the taxpayer subsidy of illegal immigration.

However, as the effective date neared in late December , a coalition of special interest groups filed a lawsuit to block the rule from taking effect as scheduled. The plaintiffs included various organizations that have routinely sought to impede interior enforcement of our immigration laws, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.; the Society for Human Resource Management; the American Council on International Personnel; and the HR Policy Association. (To read more about this lawsuit, read FAIR's Legislative Update).

In the face of this lawsuit, Homeland Security announced it will postpone the effective date of these new regulations to February 20, 2009. A DHS Spokesman said the Department did not think the Chamber of Commerce and others would prevail with their lawsuit, and said "[the] pause merely allows litigants the opportunity to make their case before a judge, and prevents parties opposed to the rule from additional stalling through litigation." (The Hill, January 9, 2009). More than 100,000 employers are already using E-Verify, with an estimated 1,000 new employers signing up each week.