The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026 would make the federal E-Verify employment eligibility system permanent and require all employers to use it to verify that new hires are authorized to work in the United States. Employers would submit worker information through a website or mobile app and receive verification results within three business days, with the system cross-checking data against Social Security, Homeland Security, State Department, and state motor vehicle records while including safeguards against discrimination and identity theft. The bill significantly increases penalties for employers who fail to comply or knowingly hire unauthorized workers, tripling civil penalties and imposing criminal penalties up to $30,000 per unauthorized worker and 18 months imprisonment for pattern violations, while also allowing workers to independently check their own eligibility status. The legislation authorizes $100 million annually beginning in fiscal year 2027 to operate the system and requires the President to submit initial and ongoing reports to Congress on implementation and program statistics. The bill also requires employers to reverify workers with limited work authorization within three days of their current authorization expiring and mandates that the Department of Homeland Security reimburse the Social Security Administration for all costs associated with running the expanded verification system.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.