American Civil Liberties Union

Regarding Electronic Employment Verification Systems

Chairwoman Lofgren, Ranking Member King and Subcommittee Members, on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”), America’s oldest and largest civil liberties organization, and its more than half a million members and 53 affiliates across the country, we are pleased to submit this testimony. The ACLU writes to oppose any legislative proposal that would impose a mandatory, electronic employment eligibility verification pre-screening system on America’s workforce. Under any name, the original Basic Pilot Employment Verification System (also known as E-Verify, hereinafter “Basic Pilot”) or another mandatory employment eligibility prescreening system would impose unacceptable burdens on America’s workers, businesses and society at large without resolving America’s undocumented immigration dilemma. The costs associated with this program cannot be denied and cannot be overstated; any benefits are speculative, at best.