A Republican bill with 12 Republican cosponsors · See all 12 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026 aims to permanently establish the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system. It mandates that all employers in the United States utilize this system for hiring, recruiting, or referring individuals for employment. The bill sets specific implementation timelines for different employer sizes and includes requirements for agricultural labor. It also establishes enhanced penalties for unauthorized employment and provides for a good faith defense for employers. Additionally, the act outlines procedures for identity verification and the prevention of fraud.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +3
Does this tighten control of the border?
The bill strengthens the enforcement of employment eligibility through a permanent E-Verify system.
- Scored +2
Would children be better off under this?
The bill allows parents or legal guardians to limit the use of a minor's Social Security number for E-Verify purposes.
- Scored +2
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
The bill mandates administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to prevent unauthorized disclosure of personal information.
The opposite· 3 of 6
- Scored -6
Would business owners be better off under this?
Employers face significant new administrative requirements, mandatory compliance deadlines, and much higher civil penalties.
- Scored -5
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?
The bill increases enforcement and penalties related to employment eligibility which often impacts this demographic.
- Scored -5
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill mandates stricter verification for all employees, which may negatively impact those with limited or conditional work authorization.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Identity Theft Protection: The bill includes provisions to maximize the prevention of identity theft use in the system (Section 2) and establishes a program to block Social Security account numbers suspected of being compromised by identity fraud (Section 12).
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Self-Verification Option: The Secretary of Homeland Security is required to establish a secure self-verification procedure, allowing individuals to verify their own employment eligibility (Section 6).
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Protection Against Discrimination: The design and operation of E-Verify must include reasonable safeguards against unlawful discriminatory practices based on national origin or citizenship status (Section 2).
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Employee Recourse for Errors: Individuals who believe they were dismissed due to an error in the verification mechanism may seek injunctive relief to correct that error (Section 2).
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Security for Identity Theft Victims: A secure method will be established for victims of identity fraud to suspend or limit the use of their Social Security account numbers for E-Verify purposes (Section 12).
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Protection for Minors: The bill allows parents or legal guardians to establish a method to suspend or limit the use of a minor's Social Security account number for E-Verify (Section 12).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Penalties for Employers: The bill increases civil money penalties for unauthorized employment, with some amounts rising to as much as $25,000 (Section 5).
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Strict Deadlines for Compliance: Employers are subject to various mandatory deadlines for using E-Verify based on their size, which could place immediate requirements on businesses (Section 3).
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Risk of Job Loss or Rescinded Offers: While employers cannot terminate an individual solely because of a tentative nonconfirmation, they are required to terminate employment upon receiving a final nonconfirmation (Section 7).
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Mandatory Verification for Certain Employees: Employers must seek reverification of the employment eligibility of individuals with limited work authorization not later than 3 business days after their authorization expires (Section 7).
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Potential Debarment: Repeat violators or those convicted of crimes under this section may be proposed for debarment from receiving Federal contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements (Section 5).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill allows parents or legal guardians to limit the use of a minor's Social Security number for E-Verify purposes. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill includes a mechanism for individuals to contest errors in the verification process. Would business owners be better off under this? — Employers face significant new administrative requirements, mandatory compliance deadlines, and much higher civil penalties. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill increases enforcement and penalties related to employment eligibility which often impacts this demographic. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill mandates stricter verification for all employees, which may negatively impact those with limited or conditional work authorization. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The mandatory verification system may create barriers to employment for unauthorized or low-status workers.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill clarifies the definition of recruitment and referral to include union hiring halls. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Small businesses face new mandatory compliance deadlines and increased potential civil money penalties for unauthorized employment.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill mandates administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to prevent unauthorized disclosure of personal information.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires annual reports to Congress regarding the status and costs of the E-Verify program. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill provides for a secure method to suspend or limit the use of Social Security numbers to prevent identity theft.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill emphasizes the use of secure electronic methods for identity and eligibility verification.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this tighten control of the border? — The bill strengthens the enforcement of employment eligibility through a permanent E-Verify system. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — While the bill includes safeguards against discrimination, mandatory verification requirements can disproportionately affect certain groups.
- 7/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/14/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 5/21/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 9 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Marsha BlackburnRepublican · Tennessee
Jim BanksRepublican · Indiana
Ted BuddRepublican · North Carolina
Shelley CapitoRepublican · West Virginia
Tom CottonRepublican · Arkansas
Ted CruzRepublican · Texas
Joni ErnstRepublican · Iowa
Lindsey GrahamRepublican · South Carolina
- Darline Graham
Republican · South Carolina
Cindy Hyde-SmithRepublican · Mississippi
James LankfordRepublican · Oklahoma
Tommy TubervilleRepublican · Alabama