ICE Issues Notice of Audit to 1000 Businesses

In a reflection of the Obama Administration’s continued emphasis on employer compliance with immigration laws, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today issued audit notices to 1000 companies.   According to ICE’s announcement, these employers were selected due to “investigative leads and intelligence and because of the business’ connection to public safety and national security.”  Names of these employers were not released due to “ongoing, law enforcement” concerns, according to ICE’s statement.  ICE audits involve the thorough review of an employer’s I-9 forms for their workforce, and traditionally has often resulted in employer sanctions for both routine and more egregious I-9 violations.  Sanctions typically range from $375 to $16,000 per violation, with repeat offenders receiving stiffer penalties.

We believe that now would be a good time for all employers to conduct an internal self-audit of all I-9’s, to make sure that the employer is fully in compliance with all rules and regulations.  With increased ICE audits, Dept. of Labor audits, and random site visits by USCIS, it is critical that employers pro-actively address any issues with their workforce.

Tags: audit, audit notice, compliance, employer, I-9, immigration, USCIS random site visit
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