E-Verify (H 5195)

The ACLU of RI submitted written testimony in March to the House Labor committee in opposition to a bill making E-Verify use mandatory by Rhode Island employers, and in favor of a bill keeping the E-Verify program voluntary.  E-Verify is a federal program that allows employers to check the names of job applicants in a database to confirm their citizenship status.  The ACLU noted that E-Verify continues to be an error-prone system which disproportionately disqualifies legal workers with Hispanic and Arabic last names, is used by employers to discriminate against potential workers, and still fails to prevent undocumented workers from obtaining employment. No further action was taken on this legislation after the March hearing.