NumbersUSA

Mandatory E-Verify for federal contractors delayed for fourth time

The mandatory usage of E-Verify for companies contracting with the federal government has been delayed for a fourth time. Former President George Bush first signed an executive order making E-Verify’s usage mandatory last year, but he delayed its implementation once, and it has now been delayed three times under Pres. Barack Obama.

The newest delay is in response to a lawsuit initiated by the Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, et al. v. Michael Chertoff, et al. The Chamber is arguing that E-Verify puts unduly restrictions on businesses, and the federal government has agreed to delay implementation until the lawsuit is resolved.

Former Pres. Bush first signed Executive Order 12989 in June of 2008, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced in November that the order would go into effect on Jan. 15, 2009. Bush delayed the implementation until February as a result of the Chamber’s lawsuit.

The Obama Administration further delayed the order from February to May, and in April the Administration delayed it again until the end of June. The newest delay pushes the implementation date to Sept. 8, 2009.

Funding for E-Verify was set to expire in March until an extension was added to the economic stimulus bill passed back in February. The House version of the bill passed an amendment to extend E-Verify for five more years, but the Senate version didn’t have the amendment and it was stripped during the conference committee.

Another five-year extension was attached to the omnibus spending bill in March, but during the roll call vote, the amendment was tabled. Another amendment that included a six-month extension was attached to the omnibus bill.

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