Illinois E-Verify Law Imposes on Federal Authority, DOJ Argues

Use of the federal E-Verify program by employers shouldn’t be regulated by state laws, a Department of Justice attorney argued in Chicago federal court Tuesday, saying an Illinois statute is an intrusion on the federal government’s territory.

“When the federal government creates a delicate set of balances, it does not make room for the state to add on or subtract to,” the DOJ’s Abhishek Kambli said, arguing for a preliminary injunction on the state law.

The federal E-Verify program allows employers to confirm workers’ employment eligibility by checking their self-submitted information against government records. The Illinois law, among ...