Prepare for Aggressive Form I-9 Enforcement

Aggressive Form I-9 Enforcement Strategy

Is Your Company Prepared?

The sad truth is most U.S. employers are ignoring the threat of immigration audits. When it comes to Form I-9 compliance, E-Verify, and state laws, many corporate officers are taking a “head in the sand” approach or are willing to “roll the dice” and bet their business will not be a target of an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) investigation. This denial can be a very costly mistake.

ICE has promised to take a more aggressive approach to enforcement and they are delivering! A few examples of this new Form I-9 enforcement strategy include reports in The Houston Chronicle about Texas employers who have been fined more than $600,000 since the fall of 2009 for I-9 violations. One employer was fined $34,000 for failure to complete any Forms I-9. Other Texas employers were accused of more serious issues of knowingly hiring unauthorized workers.

The New Jersey Record reports that more than 2 dozen businesses face fines totaling roughly $1.25 million after ICE investigations revealed Form I-9 errors. This beefed up enforcement is taking place across the country in businesses just like yours. No company is immune. All businesses are fair game for an ICE inspection.

Costly non-compliance fines could devastate your company. Being prepared for an ICE inspection before immigration agents serve your business with a Notice of Inspection is essential. Compliance is not just a simple matter of having I-9 forms for all employees. Form I-9 compliance involves a comprehensive corporate compliance plan including written protocols, regularly scheduled Form I-9 compliance audits, as well as defined best practices. Immigration compliance involves strategic planning and laser focus.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. “Failing” an I-9 inspection is a costly lesson to learn, one that could bankrupt your business and ruin your company’s reputation.

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