Employment Verification: Federal Agencies Have Improved E-Verify, but Significant Challenges Remain
Published: 2011-02-10T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: Why GAO Did This Study
paragraphs: This testimony discusses the E-Verify program, which provides employers a tool for verifying an employee's authorization to work in the United States. The opportunity for employment is one of the most powerful magnets attracting immigrants to the United States. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, in early 2009 approximately 11 million unauthorized immigrants were living in the country, and an estimated 7.8 million of them, or about 70 percent, were in the labor force. Congress, the administration, and some states have taken various actions to better ensure that those who work here have appropriate work authorization and to safeguard jobs for authorized employees. Nonetheless, opportunities remain for unscrupulous employers to hire unauthorized workers and for unauthorized workers to fraudulently obtain employment by using borrowed or stolen documents. Immigration experts have noted that deterring illegal immigration requires, among other things, a more reliable employment eligibility verification process and a more robust worksite enforcement capacity. E-Verify is a free, largely voluntary, Internet-based system operated by the Verification Division of the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). The goals of E-Verify are to (1) reduce the employment of individuals unauthorized to work, (2) reduce discrimination, (3) protect employee civil liberties and privacy, and (4) prevent undue burden on employers. Pursuant to a 2007 Office of Management Budget directive, all federal agencies are required to use E-Verify on their new hires and, as of September 2009, certain federal contractors and subcontractors are required to use E-Verify for newly hired employees working in the United States as well as existing employees working directly under the contract. A number of states have also mandated that some or all employers within the state use E-Verify on new hires. From October 2009 through August 2010, E-Verify processed approximately 14.9 million queries from nearly 222,000 employers. This testimony is based primarily on a report we issued in December 2010 and provide updates to the challenges we noted in our 2005 report and 2008 testimony. The statement, as requested, highlights findings from that report and discusses the extent to which (1) USCIS has reduced the incidence of TNCs and E-Verify's vulnerability to fraud, (2) USCIS has provided safeguards for employees' personal information, and (3) USCIS and SSA have taken steps to prepare for mandatory E-Verify implementation. Our December 2010 report also includes a discussion of the extent to which USCIS has improved its ability to monitor and ensure employer compliance with E-Verify program policies and procedures.
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: (1) USCIS has reduced tentative nonconfirmations (TNCs) and increased E-Verify accuracy by, among other things, expanding the number of databases that E-Verify can query and instituting quality control procedures to screen for data entry errors. However, erroneous TNCs continue to occur, in part, because of inaccuracies and inconsistencies in how personal information is recorded on employee documents, in government databases, or both. While some actions have been taken to address name-related TNCs, more could be done. Specifically, USCIS could better position employees to avoid an erroneous TNC by disseminating information to employees on the importance of providing consistent name information and how to record their names consistently. In our December 2010 report, we recommended that USCIS disseminate information to employees on the potential for name mismatches to result in erroneous TNCs and how to record their names consistently. USCIS concurred with our recommendation and outlined actions to address it. For example, USCIS commented that in November 2010 it began to distribute the U.S. Citizenship Welcome Packet at all naturalization ceremonies to advise new citizens to update their records with SSA. USCIS also commented that it has commissioned a study, to be completed in the third quarter of fiscal year 2011, to determine how to enhance its name-matching algorithms. USCIS's actions for reducing the likelihood of name-related erroneous TNCs are useful steps, but they do not fully address the intent of the recommendation because they do not provide specific information to employees on how to prevent a name-related TNC. (2) USCIS has taken actions to institute safeguards for the privacy of personal information for employees who are processed through E-Verify, but has not established mechanisms for employees to identify and access personal information maintained by DHS that may lead to an erroneous TNC, or for E-Verify staff to correct such information. To safeguard the privacy of personal information for employees who are processed through E-Verify, USCIS has addressed the Fair Information Practice Principles, which are the basis for DHS's privacy policy. For example, USCIS published privacy notices in 2009 and 2010 that defined parameters, including setting limits on DHS's collection and use of personal information for the E-Verify program. (3) USCIS and SSA have taken actions to prepare for possible mandatory implementation of E-Verify for all employers nationwide by addressing key practices for effectively managing E-Verify system capacity and availability and coordinating with each other in operating E-Verify. However, USCIS and SSA face challenges in accurately estimating E-Verify costs. Our analysis showed that USCIS's E-Verify estimates partially met three of four characteristics of a reliable cost estimate and minimally met one characteristic. As a result, we found that USCIS is at increased risk of not making informed investment decisions, understanding system affordability, and developing justifiable budget requests for future E-Verify use and potential mandatory implementation if it. To ensure that USCIS has a sound basis for making decisions about resource investments for E-Verify and securing sufficient resources, in our December 2010 report, we recommended that the Director of USCIS ensure that a life-cycle cost estimate for E-Verify is developed in a manner that reflects the four characteristics of a reliable estimate consistent with best practices. USCIS concurred and senior program officials told us that USCIS, among other things, has contracted with a federally funded research and development center to develop an independent cost estimate of the life-cycle costs of E-Verify to better comply with our cost-estimating guidance.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: I am pleased to be here to discuss the E-Verify program, which provides  employers a tool for verifying an employee’s authorization to work in the  United States. The opportunity for employment is one of the most  powerful magnets attracting immigrants to the United States. According to  the Pew Hispanic Center, in early 2009 approximately 11 million  unauthorized immigrants were living in the country, and an estimated 7.8  million of them, or about 70 percent, were in the labor force. Congress, the  administration, and some states have taken various actions to better  ensure that those who work here have appropriate work authorization and  to safeguard jobs for authorized employees. Nonetheless, opportunities  remain for unscrupulous employers to hire unauthorized workers and for  unauthorized workers to fraudulently obtain employment by using  borrowed or stolen documents. Immigration experts have noted that  deterring illegal immigration requires, among other things, a more reliable  employment eligibility verification process and a more robust worksite  enforcement capacity.
E-Verify is a free, largely voluntary, Internet-based system operated by the  Verification Division of the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S.  Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Social Security  Administration (SSA). The goals of E-Verify are to (1) reduce the  employment of individuals unauthorized to work, (2) reduce  discrimination, (3) protect employee civil liberties and privacy, and (4)  prevent undue burden on employers. Pursuant to a 2007 Office of  Management Budget directive, all federal agencies are required to use E- Verify on their new hires and, as of September 2009, certain federal  contractors and subcontractors are required to use E-Verify for newly  hired employees working in the United States as well as existing  employees working directly under the contract. A number of states have  also mandated that some or all employers within the state use E-Verify on  new hires. From October 2009 through August 2010, E-Verify processed  approximately 14.9 million queries from nearly 222,000 employers.
In an August 2005 report and June 2008 testimony on E-Verify, we noted  that USCIS faced challenges in detecting identity fraud and ensuring  employer compliance with the program’s rules. We highlighted some of  the challenges USCIS and SSA faced in reducing instances of erroneous  tentative nonconfirmations (TNC), or situations in which work-authorized  employees are not automatically confirmed by E-Verify. We also noted  that mandatory implementation of E-Verify would place increased  demands on USCIS’s and SSA’s resources. My comments today are based  primarily on a report we issued in December 2010 and provide updates to  the challenges we noted in our 2005 report and 2008 testimony. My  statement, as requested, highlights findings from that report and discusses  the extent to which (1) USCIS has reduced the incidence of TNCs and E- Verify’s vulnerability to fraud, (2) USCIS has provided safeguards for  employees’ personal information, and (3) USCIS and SSA have taken steps  to prepare for mandatory E-Verify implementation. Our December 2010  report also includes a discussion of the extent to which USCIS has  improved its ability to monitor and ensure employer compliance with E- Verify program policies and procedures.
For our report, we analyzed data on the results of E-Verify cases for fiscal  year 2009 and interviewed senior E-Verify program officials about their  procedures for ensuring quality in the E-Verify transaction database. We  determined that the data were sufficiently reliable for the purposes of our  report. We reviewed documentation explaining how to resolve TNCs and  assist employees with name and citizenship changes. We reviewed USCIS’s  privacy policy for E-Verify and conducted interviews with privacy officials  at USCIS to determine what, if any, challenges exist in resolving TNCs. We  assessed USCIS’s and SSA’s life-cycle cost estimates and SSA’s workload  estimates, and compared them to characteristics of a reliable cost estimate  as defined in GAO’s Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide. We selected  three states for site visits——Colorado, North Carolina, and Arizona— based on, among other reasons, the length of time each state’s E-Verify law  had been in effect. While the views provided are not generalizable, they  provided us with additional perspectives on the benefits and challenges  associated with the E-Verify program. More detailed information on our  scope and methodology is contained in our December 2010 report. We  conducted this work in accordance with generally accepted government  auditing standards.
subsections: section_title: USCIS and SSA Have Reduced TNCs, but the Accuracy of E-Verify Continues to Be Limited by Both Inconsistent Recording of Employees’ Names and Fraud
paragraphs: USCIS has reduced TNCs from 8 percent for the period June 2004 through  March 2007 to almost 2.6 percent in fiscal year 2009. As shown in figure 1,  in fiscal year 2009, about 2.6 percent or over 211,000 of newly hired  employees received either a SSA or USCIS TNC, including about 0.3  percent who were determined to be work eligible after they contested a  TNC and resolved errors or inaccuracies in their records, and about 2.3  percent, or about 189,000, who received a final nonconfirmation because  their employment eligibility status remained unresolved. For the  approximately 2.3 percent who received a final nonconfirmation, USCIS  was unable to determine how many of these employees (1) were  authorized employees who did not take action to resolve a TNC because  they were not informed by their employers of their right to contest the  TNC, (2) independently decided not to contest the TNC, or (3) were not  eligible to work.
USCIS has reduced TNCs and increased E-Verify accuracy by, among  other things, expanding the number of databases that E-Verify can query  and instituting quality control procedures to screen for data entry errors.  However, erroneous TNCs continue to occur, in part, because of  inaccuracies and inconsistencies in how personal information is recorded  on employee documents, in government databases, or both. While some  actions have been taken to address name-related TNCs, more could be  done. Specifically, USCIS could better position employees to avoid an  erroneous TNC by disseminating information to employees on the  importance of providing consistent name information and how to record  their names consistently. In our December 2010 report, we recommended  that USCIS disseminate information to employees on the potential for  name mismatches to result in erroneous TNCs and how to record their  names consistently. USCIS concurred with our recommendation and  outlined actions to address it. For example, USCIS commented that in  November 2010 it began to distribute the U.S. Citizenship Welcome Packet  at all naturalization ceremonies to advise new citizens to update their  records with SSA. USCIS also commented that it has commissioned a  study, to be completed in the third quarter of fiscal year 2011, to determine  how to enhance its name-matching algorithms. USCIS’s actions for  reducing the likelihood of name-related erroneous TNCs are useful steps,  but they do not fully address the intent of the recommendation because  they do not provide specific information to employees on how to prevent a  name-related TNC. See our December 2010 report for more details.
In addition, identity fraud remains a challenge because employers may not  be able to determine if employees are presenting genuine identity and  employment eligibility documents that are borrowed or stolen. E-Verify  also cannot detect cases in which an unscrupulous employer assists  unauthorized employees. USCIS has taken actions to address fraud, most  notably with the fiscal year 2007 implementation of the photo matching  tool for permanent residency cards and employment authorization  documents and the September 2010 addition to the matching tool of  passport photographs. Although the photo tool has some limitations, it can  help reduce some fraud associated with the use of genuine documents in  which the original photograph is substituted for another. To help combat  identity fraud, USCIS is also seeking to obtain driver’s license data from  states and planning to develop a program that would allow victims of  identity theft to “lock” their Social Security numbers within E-Verify until  they need them to obtain employment authorization. Combating identity  fraud through the use of biometrics, such as through fingerprint or facial  recognition, has been included in proposed legislation before Congress as  an element of comprehensive immigration reform, but implementing a  biometric system has its own set of challenges, including those associated  with cost and civil liberties. Resolving these issues will be important if this  technology is to be effectively implemented in combating identity fraud in  the employment verification process.
An effective employment authorization system requires a credible  worksite enforcement program to ensure employer compliance with  applicable immigration laws; however USCIS is challenged in ensuring  employer compliance with E-Verify requirements for several reasons. For  example, USCIS cannot monitor the extent to which employers follow  program rules because USCIS does not have a presence in employers’  workplaces. USCIS is further limited by its existing technology  infrastructure, which provides limited ability to analyze patterns and  trends in the data that could be indicative of employer misuse of E-Verify.  USCIS has minimal avenue for recourse if employers do not respond or  remedy noncompliant behavior after a contact from USCIS compliance  staff because it has limited authority to investigate employer misuse and  no authority to impose penalties against such employers, other than  terminating those who knowingly use the system for an unauthorized  purpose. For enforcement action for violations of immigration laws,  USCIS relies on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to  investigate, sanction, and prosecute employers. However, ICE has  reported that it has limited resources to investigate and sanction  employers that knowingly hire unauthorized workers or those that  knowingly violate E-Verify program rules. Instead, according to senior  ICE officials, ICE agents seek to maximize limited resources by applying  risk assessment principles to worksite enforcement cases and focusing on  detecting and removing unauthorized workers from critical infrastructure  sites.
section_title: DHS Has Instituted Employee Privacy Protections for E-Verify, but Resolving Erroneous TNCs Can Be Challenging
paragraphs: USCIS has taken actions to institute safeguards for the privacy of personal  information for employees who are processed through E-Verify, but has  not established mechanisms for employees to identify and access personal  information maintained by DHS that may lead to an erroneous TNC, or for  E-Verify staff to correct such information. To safeguard the privacy of  personal information for employees who are processed through E-Verify,  USCIS has addressed the Fair Information Practice Principles, which are  the basis for DHS’s privacy policy. For example, USCIS published privacy  notices in 2009 and 2010 that defined parameters, including setting limits  on DHS’s collection and use of personal information for the E-Verify  program.
Notwithstanding the efforts made by USCIS to address privacy concerns,  employees are limited in their ability to identify and access personal  information maintained by DHS that may lead to an erroneous TNC. In  our December 2010 report, we recommended that USCIS develop  procedures to enable employees to access personal information and  correct inaccuracies or inconsistencies in such information within DHS  databases. USCIS concurred and identified steps that it is taking to  address this issue, such as developing a pilot program to assist employees  receiving TNCs to request a records update, referring individuals who  receive a TNC to local USCIS or CBP offices and ports of entry to correct  records when inconsistent or inaccurate information is identified, and  developing a Self-Check program to allow individuals to check their own  work authorization status against SSA and DHS databases prior to  applying for a job. However, we do not believe that the steps underway  fully address the intent of our recommendation because, among other  things, USCIS does not have operating procedures in place for USCIS staff  to explain to employees what personal information produced the TNC or  what specific steps they should take to correct the information. We  encourage USCIS to continue its efforts to develop procedures enabling  employees to access and correct inaccurate and inconsistent personal  information in DHS databases.
section_title: USCIS and SSA Have Taken Actions to Prepare for Mandatory Implementation of E- Verify, but Face Challenges in Estimating Costs
paragraphs: USCIS and SSA have taken actions to prepare for possible mandatory  implementation of E-Verify for all employers nationwide by addressing key  practices for effectively managing E-Verify system capacity and availability  and coordinating with each other in operating E-Verify. However, USCIS  and SSA face challenges in accurately estimating E-Verify costs. Our  analysis showed that USCIS’s E-Verify estimates partially met three of four  characteristics of a reliable cost estimate and minimally met one  characteristic. As a result, we found that USCIS is at increased risk of not  making informed investment decisions, understanding system  affordability, and developing justifiable budget requests for future E-Verify  use and potential mandatory implementation if it. To ensure that USCIS  has a sound basis for making decisions about resource investments for E- Verify and securing sufficient resources, in our December 2010 report, we  recommended that the Director of USCIS ensure that a life-cycle cost  estimate for E-Verify is developed in a manner that reflects the four  characteristics of a reliable estimate consistent with best practices. USCIS  concurred and senior program officials told us that USCIS, among other  things, has contracted with a federally funded research and development  center to develop an independent cost estimate of the life-cycle costs of E- Verify to better comply with our cost-estimating guidance.
Our analysis showed that SSA’s E-Verify estimates substantially met three  of four characteristics of a reliable cost estimate. However, we found that  SSA’s cost estimates are partially credible because SSA may not be able to  provide assurance to USCIS that it can provide the required level of  support for E-Verify operations if it experiences cost overruns within any  one fiscal year. In our December 2010 report, we recommended that the  Commissioner of SSA assess the risk around SSA’s E-Verify workload  estimate, in accordance with best practices, to ensure that SSA can  accurately project costs associated with its E-Verify workload and provide  the required level of support to USCIS and E-Verify operations. SSA did  not concur, and stated that it assesses the risk around its workload cost  estimates and, if E-Verify were to become mandatory, SSA would adapt its  budget models and recalculate estimated costs based on the new projected  E-Verify workload volume. As discussed in our December 2010 report, SSA  does not conduct a risk and uncertainty analysis that uses statistical  models to quantitatively determine the extent of variability around its cost  estimate or identify the limitations associated with the assumptions used  to create the estimate. Thus, we continue to believe that SSA should adopt  this best practice for estimating risks to help it reduce the potential for  experiencing cost overruns for E-Verify.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I will be pleased to respond to  any questions you or other members of the subcommittee may have.
For further information regarding this testimony, please contact Richard  M. Stana at (202) 512-8777 or stanar@gao.gov. In addition, contact points  for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found  on the last page of this statement. Individuals who made key contributions  to this testimony are Evi Rezmovic, Assistant Director; Christine Hanson;  Sara Margraf; and Linda Miller. Additionally, key contributors to our  December 2010 report include Blake Ainsworth, David Alexander, Tonia  Brown, Frances Cook, Marisol Cruz, John de Ferrari, Julian King, Danielle  Pakdaman, David Plocher, Karen Richey, Robert Robinson, Douglas  Sloane, Stacey Steele, Desiree Cunningham, Vanessa Taylor, Teresa  Tucker, and Ashley Vaughan.
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