WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer recently issued a formal reminder to governors nationwide, urging them to ensure compliance with federal law regarding unemployment benefits eligibility. The directive emphasizes the need to verify immigration status and warns of funding consequences if states fail to meet their legal obligations.
“Our nation’s unemployment benefits exist solely for workers who are eligible to receive them,” Secretary Chavez-DeRemer asserted. “Unemployment benefits are not a handout for those in our country illegally.”
The notice follows a communication from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, which called on state unemployment insurance administrators to adopt the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE immigration database. This tool, provided free of charge under the direction of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, allows states to verify claimants’ immigration status and confirm their eligibility for benefits.
The use of the SAVE system is a key component of compliance, ensuring that unemployment benefits are issued only to U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible individuals. Chavez-DeRemer also stressed the financial consequences for non-compliant states, which risk losing federal Title III Unemployment Insurance administrative funding.
“I am committed to ensuring that the U.S. Department of Labor enforces the law and will personally work to safeguard Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars,” Chavez-DeRemer wrote, concluding with her readiness to collaborate with state officials on implementing these safeguards.
This initiative marks the administration’s continued effort to prioritize fiscal responsibility and immigration enforcement. Moving forward, states must align their systems with federal standards to protect taxpayer resources and uphold the integrity of unemployment programs.
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