E-Verify Suspended During Shutdown – What Employers Need To Know

October 2, 2025

What's New

As of October 1, 2025, the E-Verify system is temporarily unavailable due to a lapse in appropriations and statutory authority. This means that for the duration of the government shutdown employers will not be able to access their accounts or perform any E-Verify-related actions, including case creation, user management, or mismatch resolution. DHS has suspended the three-day rule for creating E-Verify cases affected by this outage. However, Form I-9 requirements remain unchanged and must still be completed within three business days of an employee’s start date.

What It Means

Employers must continue to comply with Form I-9 obligations despite the E-Verify shutdown. The suspension of the three-day rule applies only to E-Verify case creation, not to Form I-9 completion. Employers using DHS-authorized remote document examination procedures may continue doing so if they remain in good standing with E-Verify. Additionally, employees with mismatches will have extended time to resolve them once E-Verify resumes operations. DHS will provide more detailed guidance once the agency receives funding.

What You Should Do

Employers should:

• Complete Form I-9s on time for all new hires, using paper forms if necessary.
• Refrain from taking adverse action against employees due to unresolved E-Verify cases.
• Maintain documentation of affected cases and monitor DHS updates for reopening guidance.
• Communicate clearly with employees about delays in mismatch resolution.

For additional shutdown-related information, CWC members may consult this resource.

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