What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
College Employment Accountability Act This bill prohibits an institution of higher education (IHE) from receiving certain federal funds or participating in federal student aid programs if the IHE does not take certain actions to prohibit the employment at the IHE of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who do not have work authorization. Specifically, the bill prohibits an IHE from receiving federal funds for student assistance or institutional aid if the IHE employs unauthorized individuals in violation of a specified section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). (The section prohibits an employer from knowingly hiring, recruiting or referring for a fee, or continuing to employ a non-U.S. national who lacks work authorization.) Additionally, the bill requires an IHE that participates in federal student aid programs to participate in the E-Verify system. (This system allows employers and recruiters to verify an individual's eligibility for employment. The system is largely voluntary; however, federal employers, including federal contractors, must use E-Verify. Some IHEs currently participate in the system.) The bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to, every six months, monitor whether an IHE is participating in the E-Verify system. Further, DHS must notify the Department of Education within 10 days of finding that an IHE (1) employs unauthorized individuals in violation of the INA, or (2) is not participating in the E-Verify system.
Action Timeline
2025-03-25
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
2025-03-25
Introduced in Senate
Frequently Asked Questions
Did S.1123 pass?
S.1123 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: 37%.
What does S.1123 do?
College Employment Accountability Act This bill prohibits an institution of higher education (IHE) from receiving certain federal funds or participating in federal student aid programs if the IHE does not take certain actions to prohibit the employment at the IHE of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who do not have work authorization. Specifically, the bill prohibits an IHE from receiving federal funds for student assistance or institutional aid if the IHE employs unauthorized individuals in violation of a specified section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). (The sectio…
Who sponsored S.1123?
S.1123 was sponsored by Jim Banks (R-Indiana).
Full Bill Text
119 S1123 IS: College Employment Accountability Act U.S. Senate 2025-03-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1123 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 25, 2025 Mr. Banks (for himself and Mr. Hawley ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution of higher education that employs unauthorized aliens from receiving funds from Federal student assistance or Federal institutional aid and to require institutions of higher education to participate in the E-Verify Program in order to be eligible to participate in any program authorized under title IV of such Act. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the College Employment Accountability Act . 2. Ineligibility due to employment of unauthorized aliens Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1011 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 124. Ineligibility due to employment of unauthorized aliens Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no institution of higher education shall be eligible to receive funds from Federal student assistance or Federal institutional aid under this Act if the institution is found to be in violation of section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1324a ). . 3. Requirement to participate in the E-Verify Program Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1094(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (30) The institution will participate in the E-Verify Program under section 403(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 ( 8 U.S.C. 1324a note). . 4. Department of Homeland Security monitoring and notification requirements (a) Monitoring The Secretary of Homeland Security shall monitor every 6 months whether an institution of higher education is participating in the E-Verify Program under section 403(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 ( 8 U.S.C. 1324a note). (b) Notification The Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the Secretary of Education, not later than 10 days after the Secretary of Homeland Security finds— (1) an institution of higher education to be in violation of section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1324a ); or (2) that an institution of higher education is not participating in the E-Verify Program under section 403(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 ( 8 U.S.C. 1324a note).
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