Texas Comptroller Don Huffines is requiring every entity that receives state grant money from his office to use the federal E-Verify system and comply with U.S. immigration law for the full life of its agreement, according to a Nov. 12 news release from the agency.
The Comptroller’s office said the rules are intended to ensure taxpayer dollars do not subsidize the hiring of unauthorized workers or support organizations that ignore federal immigration law. According to the release, a performance review of the office that Huffines launched in August found that no previous comptroller had ensured the agency’s contractors and grant recipients complied with state and federal immigration laws. The agency said Huffines is closing that gap.
“Texans work hard for their money, and their tax dollars will never subsidize illegal aliens taking jobs from Texans,” Huffines said. “If you want state funding, you will verify every hire and follow federal immigration law. This helps ensure legal workers get fair wages.”
Under the new rules, any entity receiving state grant funds must certify that it will use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of all applicable personnel, will not knowingly employ unauthorized workers, will maintain compliance with all federal immigration laws for the entire term of the grant, and will immediately notify the Comptroller’s office upon discovering any violation related to employment eligibility or immigration compliance.
The agency said the requirements will be standard terms in future grants administered by the Comptroller of Public Accounts and will be incorporated into its solicitations and agreements going forward. The office is also writing immediate-termination authority into its agreements to enforce the certification, according to the release.
The Comptroller’s office described the rules as part of Huffines’ Taxpayer First Project, which the agency called the most significant reform of tax administration at the office in decades. The release said the E-Verify requirement is the latest in a series of new standard terms Huffines is writing into Comptroller contracts and grants to protect taxpayers and enforce Texas law.
The agency said more such terms will be announced in the coming weeks.