Idaho's S 1247, the Idaho E-Verify Act, requires specific employers to use the federal E-Verify program to confirm new hires' work authorization starting January 1, 2027. Covered employers include public agencies and private businesses with over 150 employees that hold public contracts worth $100,000+ paid with public funds. Employers must verify eligibility within three days of a new hire’s first paid workday and face enforcement actions - including civil lawsuits by the Idaho Department of Labor - for knowingly hiring workers without verified authorization. The law defers final determination of work authorization to federal authorities, as defined under federal law.
Idaho's H 659 requires all local law enforcement agencies (including county sheriffs and municipal police departments) to apply for a federal immigration enforcement program called Section 287(g). This program allows trained local officers to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with immigration enforcement under federal oversight. If an agency cannot join the program, it must publicly state its reasons and efforts to cooperate with ICE. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, after being approved by the Idaho legislature.
