Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell on Monday sped up the deadline for executive branch agencies to start using a federal program that checks the immigration status of new hires.
Executive branch agencies, such as the Department of Transportation and Department of Social Services, will now have to enroll in the E-Verify program by June 1, rather than the original deadline of Dec. 1, 2012.
The General Assembly last year passed legislation requiring state agencies to enroll in the program, which is operated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Adminstration.
“We must consistently and correctly enforce the laws of this nation; our country is based on the rule of law,” McDonnell said. “E-Verify will ensure that every state job is held by a legally authorized worker.”
Since 2009, state agencies that receive federal contracts requiring the use of E-Verify have been using the system.
This year, the legislature passed a bill from Sen. George Barker, D-Prince William, to require businesses with 50 or more employees and state contracts worth more than $50,000 to enroll in the program by Dec. 1, 2013.
