Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026

Sponsor: Katie Boyd Britt (Republican-AL)May 21, 2026

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Requires all employers to use E-Verify to check if workers can legally work in the U.S.

This bill would make the E-Verify system permanent and require all U.S. employers to use it when hiring new workers. It would also increase fines for employers who hire people not authorized to work and create new tools to prevent identity theft related to work eligibility. States that do not share driver's license information with E-Verify could lose some federal grant money.

What Would Change

Today, E-Verify is a pilot program, and its use is voluntary for most employers, though some federal contractors are required to use it. After this bill, E-Verify would become a permanent, mandatory system for all employers across the United States, with increased penalties for non-compliance and new tools to prevent identity fraud and ensure data accuracy.

Key Provisions

Makes the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system a permanent government program.
Requires all employers, recruiters, and referral agencies in the United States to use E-Verify for new hires, with a phased rollout based on employer size.
Increases civil penalties for employers who hire or continue to employ individuals not authorized to work, with fines ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 per unauthorized worker.
Allows repeat violators of employment eligibility rules to be banned from receiving federal contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.
Creates a secure E-Verify "self-check" system for individuals to verify their own employment eligibility and correct errors.

View on Congress.gov

S 4620 · 119th Congress · May 21, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 8/10

Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity