Updated

New analysis from the libertarian Cato Institute predicts disastrous consequences if E-Verify, an immigration enforcement program, is mandated for employers nationwide.

E-Verify nationwide could lead to more identity theft, make legal American workers unemployed and prompt the introduction of a nationwide identity card, according to the study.

The study, published Tuesday, was authored by Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration policy analyst at Cato, and Jim Harper, a senior fellow at Cato.

"If E-Verify is ever mandated nationally then it will fail — prompting politicians to call for more extreme immigration enforcement measures like a national biometric identity card," Nowrasteh told the Washington Examiner.

Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com