On July 1 this year, ICE  issued over 650 I-9 audit notices to various companies.  This is more than the total number of audit notices ICE issued in all of 2008.  It’s part of ICE’s overall strategy of targeting employers for immigration enforcement.  ICE seems to be addressing a much criticized aspect of its enforcement strategy–that it doesn’t do enough against employers who hire undocument workers.  ICE has been busy trying to prove its critics wrong.

I’ve been warning my corporate clients about this trend for over a year now.  If you haven’t audited your I-9 files recently, now is the time to do it.  The heat on companies is going to get worse in the coming months and years, especially with increased promise of immigration reform.  Based on my experience performing compliance audits for numerous companies, I can almost assure you that your company’s I-9 files are a hot mess, and will likely subject your company to substantial fines if you fall victim to an ICE audit.

Link to ICE’s announcement: http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0907/090701washington.htm