E-Verify Clings to Life Despite No New Funding
Thursday, March 12, 2009 1:47 PM
By: Dave Eberhart


A controversial program that has won bipartisan support for stemming the flood of illegal workers is clinging to life despite the Senate’s refusal to extend the program.

Although Congress failed to re-authorize the E-Verify program during deliberations of the omnibus spending bill, E-Verify has the funding it needs to operate through September.

The FY 2009 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security has some fine print that may keep E-Verify alive until September 30, 2009, reports the Heritage Foundation. E-Verify gives employers an online database they can use to verify that a prospective employee is legally qualified to work in the United States.

It was the lack of a requirement that E-Verify be used for stimulus funds that is expected to result in the employment of up to 300,000 illegals on construction jobs funded by the $787 billion stimulus bill passed by Congress.

The conflicting language in the bill about the true end date of E-Verify has spawned a Department of Homeland Security memo speculating that the program can continue to fill its role as a major bulwark to cull illegal immigrant workers from employment in the U.S.

“This agency continues to go on the premise that we are authorized to continue the program because it has been funded through September 2009,â€