Feb 17 2006

DHS to Require Employee Immigration Status Verification

It appears that employers may have to conduct additional employee verifications in the near future. The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2007 states that employers will soon be required to check the immigration status of all workers. While employers currently are required to check proposed employees’ I-9 documents, they are not yet required to verify the authenticity of those documents. However, in the near future, I-9 documents will need to be verified prior to offering gainful employment to the proposed employee.

Currently in operation is a voluntary check system through which an employer may verify the immigration status of a proposed employee. This system is now in pilot stage, but, according to the DHS FY 2007 budget, will be a required process.