By: Leslie Davis, Managing Director

In an effort to keep you updated on E-Verify developments, we thought our readership would find this information useful in terms of evaluating whether or not E-Verify would be a workable tool for your organization.
USCIS continues to improve the system’s automatic confirmation rate by incorporating additional data sources into E-Verify. Other key efforts include assisting employers in using the program correctly, continuing to conduct outreach focusing on employee as well as employer stakeholder groups, and expanding relationships with all stakeholders in an effort to further improve the program.

E-Verify will continue to add new data sources to the automated initial check to reduce the number of mismatches issued by the system

In FY 2010, USCIS plans to improve the system’s ability to automatically verify international students and exchange visitors through the incorporation of ICE’s Student and Exchange Visitors Information System (SEVIS) data. By incorporating SEVIS nonimmigrant student visa data into the automatic initial E-Verify check, the number of students and exchange visitors who receive initial mismatches should be reduced. In FY 2010, ICE will be launching a new version of SEVIS, SEVIS II, which will include employment eligibility information that E-Verify will be able to access electronically. Currently, the SEVIS database is checked manually by immigration status verifiers after an initial mismatch is issued.
E-Verify also plans to provide automated system updates for any new hire with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) who has an expired EAD but is within an auto-extension time period. This system enhancement will decrease the number of new-hires of TPS recipients that receive an initial mismatch or TNC.

Additionally, E-Verify continues to develop other ways to reduce the number of initial mismatches and improve system performance by analyzing system data. One example is a current effort to improve the date of birth entry field to avoid data entry errors such as reversing the day and month as is done in many other countries outside of the United States. This mismatch reduction initiative includes improving the data matching algorithm and improving usability to reduce data entry errors.

E-Verify will continue to combat identity fraud and expand the photo screening tool.

To build on the photo tool’s success, the E-Verify program is actively working to expand the types of photos available in this functionality. This would prevent one possible avenue of identity theft currently used to “game” the system. This effort will be combined with a reduction in the number of documents acceptable for Form I-9 purposes, such as those listed in the Interim Final Rule which becomes effective tomorrow on April 3, 2009.

USCIS is also working to initiate a state-based department of motor vehicles (DMV) data exchange that would incorporate driver’s license photos into the photo tool. This would represent a significant enhancement to the system, since new hires most often present a driver’s license for Form I-9 purposes. To date, no state has yet agreed to add its driver’s license data to the photo tool.

USCIS is aware identity fraud is a serious concern in the U.S. and is especially concerned with how this practice affects E-Verify. While USCIS cannot detect all forms of identity fraud used by an employee who is run through E-Verify, we are working to find ways to accomplish this goal. USCIS has also begun examining other ways to detect and deter such fraud, such as enabling individuals to choose to “lock” and “unlock” Social Security Numbers (SSNs) for E-Verify purposes.

E-Verify will continue to implement enhancements to improve usability and program efficiency USCIS is re-engineering the E-Verify registration process to improve it and make the registration more effective. USCIS is currently examining the best ways to validate the legitimacy of employers using the system, the individual registrants signing up to use the system, and those using the system after the enrollment phase. Improving the registration portion of the E-Verify program will ensure that E-Verify has accurate and complete information on those employers using the program.

E-Verify is also working on implementing an electronic Form I-9. The first phase of this enhancement includes developing a stand-alone Form I-9 in portable format that will allow employers to electronically create, sign, and store the completed forms. In a future enhancement, the electronic Form I-9 will pre-fill the fields in E-Verify, eliminating the need for employers to input the data into the system after it was already recorded on the Form I-9.

Conclusion

The E-Verify program has made great strides in becoming a fast, easy, and more accurate tool to help employers maintain a legal workforce and comply with immigration law. The Administration is dedicated to providing this service to employers and continuing to make improvements to the system to address issues such as usability, fraud, discrimination, and further to improve the system’s automatic verification rate. On balance, E-Verify will continue to be a key element of our ability to deter illegal immigration.