Obama Signs Homeland Security Appropriations Bill Extending E-Verify
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On October 28 President Obama signed into law the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill (H.R. 2892), a measure that includes provisions extending the E-Verify employment verification program by three years, and allocating $137 million to the program for its operation and improvement. In addition, the legislation extends the EB-5 investor visa program, which provides visas to individuals who invest at least $1 million in a new commercial enterprise which will benefit the U.S. economy and create at least 10 full-time jobs. The visa programs for religious workers and medical students are also extended. The final version of this appropriations bill omitted more stringent provisions that would have made E-Verify and the EB-5 investor program permanent, and allowed employers to verify the employment status of current employees. The bill appropriates $139 million to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hire 100 new special agents to conduct worksite enforcement investigations and employer audits.
