E-Verify can be a flawed system

E-Verify can be a flawed system

On behalf of Law Office of Valdez & Monarrez posted in immigration law on Friday, October 12, 2018.

The E-Verify system is designed to determine if an immigrant living in Texas or anywhere else has the right to get a job in the United States. However, both Democratic and Republican politicians say that there are flaws with the system. One of the most commonly cited flaws is that it still allows undocumented immigrants to find employment in the country.

The system works by verifying that documents provided by an immigrant to an employer are legitimate. According to a member of the CATO Institute, that is the fatal flaw with E-Verify. While it could be improved using DNA or other biometric data, that would probably be beyond the power of the government. Others say that the problem with E-Verify is that it places a burden on smaller companies.

In some cases, the system has flagged legal workers as not eligible to work in the United States. Between 2006 and 2016, 130,000 people lost their jobs because of mistakes made by the E-Verify system. Another test found that it incorrectly labeled 54 percent of undocumented immigrants as legal to work in the country. Some say that mandating E-Verify nationwide would lead to an increase in identity theft and other types of fraud. Therefore, it might be easier to allow more immigrants to work as opposed to denying individuals the right to do so.

Those who have questions about immigration law could reach out to an attorney. Specifically, it may be possible to learn more about systems like E-Verify and how they can impact a person\’s ability to work. One may also ask about how to retain their legal status in the United States or their right to work while in the country. Doing so may minimize the likelihood of being terminated without notice.