Senator Katie Britt to Introduce Bill Making E-Verify Mandatory for All U.S. Employers

Sen. S. employers to use the system, regardless of business size, according to her office. The bill would bar companies from hiring workers not authorized to live or work in the United States. It would also raise civil and criminal penalties for violations, prevent states from blocking E-Verify use, and add fraud-prevention measures.

E-Verify is a web-based system that lets enrolled employers check job applicants' work documents against federal records. Congress created the system in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Some states and federal agencies already require E-Verify, but it has never been mandated nationwide.

Britt's office said the system was used more than 43 million times in 2025.

Britt said the legislation would ensure jobs go to Americans rather than unauthorized workers. She added that legitimate workers would see higher pay because employers could not undercut wages by hiring people willing to work below minimum wage. The bill is cosponsored by Sens.

Ted Budd (R-NC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), James Lankford (R-OK), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Ted Cruz (R-TX). Groups including the Heritage Foundation, the National Immigration Center for Enforcement, NumbersUSA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, and the Immigration Accountability Project also support the measure.

8 million last year.