Despite protests from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Congress voted to continue funding for the E-Verify system.
In addition to extending the controversial program for three years, Congress reaffirmed its support by approving $137 million for the system — which allows employers to check on the citizenship status and work eligibility of applicants. Congress retained the stipulation that the program be voluntary for private employers who don’t have federal contracts.
The bill now heads to President Obama, who’s expected to sign it into law.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce joined forces with the National Association of Manufacturers, among others, to lobby Congress to vote the program out of existence. The C of C and NAM contend the system is rife with errors that result in denials of eligibility for workers who here legally.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security presented figures on Capitol Hill indicating the system has a 94% accuracy rate, and that was good enough to override C of C and NAM concerns. Further, some state Chamber of Commerce offices, such as in South Carolina, have endorsed the system and led the way for passage of state laws that make the system mandatory.
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