US work permits revoked? DHS gives employers new tool, 'E-Verify', to check immigrant status

In a move that could significantly affect immigrant workers across the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has introduced a new E-Verify feature that alerts employers if their workers’ employment authorisation has been revoked, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The update comes amid sweeping immigration policy shifts that have left both employers and non-citizen employees scrambling for clarity.

Employers enrolled in the federal E-Verify system can now access a “status change report,” a new feature that provides updates on whether any employee’s Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) has been terminated, according to the DHS announcement on Monday.

The move follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing the Biden administration to proceed with ending deportation protections and work permits for large numbers of immigrants previously protected under programs such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and humanitarian parole.

According to Bloomberg, the DHS has already begun notifying individuals from the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) parole programs that their legal protections have ended. However, the agency is not notifying their employers directly, creating uncertainty in workplaces where immigrant labour is essential.

Many of the affected individuals have pending asylum cases, green card petitions, or TPS requests. Data from ongoing litigation shows that more than half fall into these categories. The complication arises because some of them still hold physical EAD cards that appear valid, even though their authorisation has been revoked.

DHS has instructed employers to use the new status change report to verify continued work eligibility. If an employee is listed in the report and lacks alternative valid authorisation, employers must terminate them.

However, the agency warned against misusing the tool. “Businesses must act carefully,” the DHS said. “They should only use the status change report to confirm continued work authorisation, not to target workers based on where they come from.”

Employers also face legal risks: knowingly employing someone without valid work authorisation can lead to civil fines or criminal charges. At the same time, selectively reviewing documents based on a worker’s origin could violate federal anti-discrimination laws under the Immigration and Nationality Act.