E-Verify, the electronic immigration system that employers use
to confirm employees' eligibility to work in the United States,
has resumed operation. E-Verify was
unavailable during the longest federal government shutdown in
history, which lasted from December 22, 2018 to January 25, 2019.
As of January 28, 2019, all E-Verify services are once again
available for use, though users may experience longer-than-usual
processing times as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
works through a large volume of accumulated cases.
In addition to disrupting E-Verify service, the government
shutdown caused a lapse in the availability of I-9 support
representatives. Despite those service disruptions, employers
were required to complete and retain Form I-9 Employment
Eligibility Verifications for each person they hired to work for
wages or other payment during the shutdown.
