Late last week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the latest delay in implementation of mandatory use of the E-Verify system for federal contractors.  E-Verify is Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s electronic employment eligibility verification system.  The system is intended to cut down on the number of ineligible persons hired through use of false Social Security and other identifying information.

E-Verify is currently a voluntary program, but its use has been mandated by a growing number of states, and for federal contractors.  Both employer and immigration rights advocates have criticized mandatory use of E-Verify, voicing concerns over reliability of the database’s information.  These concerns resulted in several pending lawsuits over mandatory use of the system.

DOJ had already extended the deadline for contractor compliance.  The latest delay runs through June 30, 2009, and may not be the last extension if federal courts do not resolve the controversy.