The Department of Homeland Security told Congress yesterday that it is delaying the June 30 deadline for requiring federal contractors to submit all employees through E-Verify until September 8. No reason was given for the delay. House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member Harold Rogers and House Judiciary ranking member Lamar Smith both criticized the delay as inexcusable.
Rogers said the E-Verify requirement for federal contractors should be implemented immediately, "so that taxpayer money isn't funding illegitimate employment and hard working citizens aren't pushed to the back of the employment line." Smith added, "American workers should not have to compete with illegal immigrants for employment, especially taxpayer-funded federal contract jobs."
The tenor of Congressional response to this delay suggests it is probably the last one, and every contractor, subcontractor and supplier on federally funded projects should get ready to fully participate in the E-Verify system on or before September 8, 2009.
Rogers said the E-Verify requirement for federal contractors should be implemented immediately, "so that taxpayer money isn't funding illegitimate employment and hard working citizens aren't pushed to the back of the employment line." Smith added, "American workers should not have to compete with illegal immigrants for employment, especially taxpayer-funded federal contract jobs."
The tenor of Congressional response to this delay suggests it is probably the last one, and every contractor, subcontractor and supplier on federally funded projects should get ready to fully participate in the E-Verify system on or before September 8, 2009.
