Washington • Sen. Mitt Romney on Wednesday introduced legislation to permanently renew a verification system that businesses can use to check the legal work status of a new hire.
The E-Verify program, which Congress has repeatedly renewed, expires at the end of September.
Romney, a Utah Republican, noted 144,000 immigrants were arrested last month on the U.S.-Mexican border, the highest in more than 13 years. May 2018 saw about 52,000 migrants apprehended.
“Congress needs to act now to address our illegal immigration crisis by closing legal loopholes and removing the magnets — like illegal employment — that drive illegal immigration,” Romney said.