Mississippi Universal E-Verify Mandate

Mississippi enacted the Mississippi Employment Protection Act in 2008 and codified it at Miss. Code 71-11-3. The statute is one of the broadest E-Verify mandates in the country, requiring every employer in the state, public and private and regardless of workforce size, to register with and use the federal E-Verify program to verify the employment eligibility of all newly hired workers. Employers must maintain verification records for the duration of employment. Knowingly employing unauthorized aliens is a felony in Mississippi punishable by up to five years imprisonment and substantial fines. Repeat violators face permanent loss of business licenses and permits. The Mississippi Department of Employment Security and the Attorney General share enforcement authority, and complaints may trigger state investigation and audit of employer hiring records.

Knowingly hiring unauthorized aliens is a felony with up to five years imprisonment, fines, and revocation of business licenses; failure to use E-Verify can result in license suspension.