Smith Statement Regarding GAO Report on E-Verify

Washington, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today issued the following statement regarding the GAO's report on E-Verify:

Chairman Smith: E-Verify is a remarkably effective tool that preserves jobs for U.S. citizens and legal immigrants by helping employers make sure that they are hiring legal workers. While today's GAO report acknowledges some areas for refinement, such as guarding against identify theft, the report reaffirms what we already know about E-Verify: that it is a very successful program. The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing next month to discuss ways to improve E-Verify, including ways to expand the program to better protect jobs for legal workers.

While more than 14 million Americans are struggling to find jobs, seven million illegal workers remain in the U.S. workforce. U.S. citizens and legal immigrants should not have to compete with illegal workers for scarce jobs. E-Verify is used by over 225,000 employers, and an average 1,300 businesses are signing up for the program every week. Expanding E-Verify and encouraging more businesses to use the program is an important step toward protecting jobs for American workers and eliminating the jobs magnet that draws millions of illegal workers to the U.S.