Federal Acquisition Regulations Updated to Include Illegal Immigrant Checks

The Department of Homeland Security has implemented a new rule through the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) to make companies doing business with the Federal Government run their workers through a verification database. The Washington Post reports on the implementation of this new program starting in 2009. The database which should tell employers if an applicant is in the US legally has been in existence for several months and has allowed companies to check on their employees.

The new rule mandates that those companies winning Federal contracts must check on their employees. The rule does have some limitations though. It will only be used for contracts over $100,000.00 and only workers assigned to that contract will be checked. This means that a company that has business with private entities would not have to check their entire workforce. There have been several cases in the last few years of illegal immigrants being found working on US military bases and at other Federal offices. This rule will obviously make it harder for a company to knowingly employ illegal immigrants. If, as expected, the Obama Administration moves to reform immigration rules in the US this rule may be targeted.