US E-Verify system stirs trouble

United States, 22nd July: Electronic checking system of US immigration has sparked off controversy putting doubts on the validity of the use of E-Verify for checking the eligibility of workers in the US.

E-Verify is voluntary for US employers except 20 US states requiring use of this online-system before hiring new employees on the jobs in the US.

As per the latest US immigration ruling, all employers in 20 US states including Mississippi and Arizona are required to make use of online verification system before hiring any immigrants on the jobs.

Use of E-Verify increasing--E-Verify, the system developed around one and a half decade ago is carried out collaboratively by Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security.

In the past couple of years, the number of US employers making use of E-Verify system has been growing.

In the year 2010, participation in E-Verify system increased as 216,000 US employers verified 13.4 million records as compared to the year 2008 when 88,000 employers in the US checked 6.6 million records, the figures from the official website of Department of Homeland Security revealed.

Improvements needed in electronic verification system— According to a senior policy advisor at Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Pia Orrenius, E-Verify is necessary and must be made mandatory in the US since it can help in jobs to the natives. Supporters maintain that such a move would assure provision of jobs to legal immigrants and US citizens.

Internet-based verification system has undergone significant changes in the recent times, however, it still needs to improve, critics including several immigrant rights unions and groups state. Even the government admits the system needs several improvements.

US President Barack Obama said in June that the system might be full of errors. Opponents of this bill say there are numerous loopholes in this system.

E-Verify is prone to errors, hurts US farm employers and gives birth to racial issues. Moreover, it also raises concerns about privacy. The US has around 11 million undocumented immigrants with around 70 percent of them live in hiding.

According to Lisa Roney, the director of research and evaluation for immigration service, when E-Verify was launched, compulsory E-Verify system will not be a solution for ending undocumented employment.