San Jose, CA Immigration Policy: E-Verify Mandates (2026)

(a) (1) Except as required by federal law or as a condition of receiving federal funds, it shall be unlawful for an employer, or any other person or entity to use the federal electronic employment verification system known as E-Verify to check the employment authorization status of an existing employee or an applicant who has not been offered employment at a time or in a manner not required under subsection (b) of Section 1324a of Title 8 of the United States Code or not authorized under any federal agency memorandum of understanding governing the use of a federal electronic employment verification system. (2) Nothing in this section shall prohibit an employer from utilizing the federal E-Verify system, in accordance with federal law, to check the employment authorization status of a person who has been offered employment. (b) Upon using the federal E-Verify system to check the employment authorization status of a person, if the employer receives a tentative nonconfirmation issued by the Social Security Administration or the United States Department of Homeland Security, which indicates the information entered in E-Verify did not match federal records, the employer shall comply with the required employee notification procedures under any memorandum of understanding governing the use of the federal E-Verify system. (c) In addition to other remedies available, an employer who violates this section is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation of this section. Each unlawful use of the E-Verify system on an employee or applicant constitutes a separate violation.