Immigration (Work Authorization)

This North Carolina bill requires all private employers with 25 or more employees to use the federal E-Verify system to check the work authorization of every new hire. It mandates that state and local government agencies also comply with these verification rules and allows employers to avoid penalties if they can prove they acted in good faith and did not knowingly accept fraudulent documents. The legislation establishes a 30-day grace period for employers to fix minor compliance errors and increases fines for repeat offenders while protecting workers who report suspected violations from retaliation. Additionally, it grants the state labor commissioner the authority to conduct random or risk-based audits of employers and provides funding to support enforcement efforts.

HB 690, "The Citizens Support Act," directs several state and local agencies to ensure that state-funded benefits are provided only to U.S. citizens and noncitizens legally authorized to reside in the United States. The Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Commerce, Housing Finance Agency, and local housing authorities must develop plans to review eligibility criteria and verify the immigration status of applicants for various benefits, including housing, welfare, and medical assistance. State-funded institutions of higher education are required to adopt policies to verify applicants' legal residency for tuition and educational benefits. Additionally, the Division of Employment Security must implement a policy to verify legal residency for unemployment benefit applicants. These agencies are also mandated to report on their implementation progress and any federal laws that prevent them from denying benefits.