Talk To A Chicago Immigration Attorney
312-332-2550
ICE Increases I-9 Audits
Looking for A Specific Post? Search Below
The Trump Administration has adopted a “putting American workers first” slogan as a centerpiece of this presidency. To confirm the President’s words, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a press release on July 24, 2018, describing the second phase of a nationwide operation to crack down on hiring unauthorized workers.
In short, the Homeland Security Investigations division (HIS) has sent over 5,200 Notice of Inspections since October 2017. Furthermore, HSI has made 675 criminal and almost 1,000 administrative worksite-related arrests. This enforcement should serve as a warning to employers that they must take I-9 compliance seriously.
Violations Will Cost You
Employers who take a slack approach to I-9 compliance are in for a shock when HSI comes knocking. You can be fined $559 per employee for hiring or employing an unauthorized worker knowingly. If you are a repeat offender, then your fines can be as high as $22,363.
Employers can also receive sanctions for paperwork violations, which can range from $224 to $2236 per violation. Other punishments include penalties, additional fines, and forfeitures. If you are a government contractor, you can be debarred from federal contracts in the future.
How to Respond to an Audit
Let’s say an auditor or ICE agent shows up at your company headquarters with a Notice of Inspection (NOI). What now?
Obviously, it is too late to get your books in order and start being strict with compliance. You should know that you have three days to respond to the NOI. For good reason, you can get an extension, but you should not expect it.
Most audits will focus on the I-9 of current employees, but the agent can request the I-9 also for terminated employees. The NOI should also contain a subpoena with additional document requests for things like:
- E-Verify information
- A list of current employees
- Payroll records
- Quarterly wage and hour reports
- Information about your business, such as your EIN
- List of subcontractors
If you use an electronic I-9 system, then you might need to provide additional information.
Take Audits Seriously
One mistake some business owners make is not taking the NOI seriously because they are a small business and doubt that the government is truly interested in their I-9 compliance. Nothing could be further from the truth. The government agent is at your doorstep for a reason. The penalties for noncompliance are so severe, that you should immediately swing into action.
After notifying management about the NOI, you should immediately retain counsel. Make sure to hire an immigration attorney who has experience with compliance issues and internal audits. It can take quite a bit of time to collect all required information, and you do not need a lawyer who needs time to get up to speed on what is required.
If you have received an NOI, do not panic. The immigration audit attorneys at Kriezelman Burton & Associates are here to help. Our Chicago I-9 compliance lawyers are prepared to help you meet your obligations, and we can also discuss post-audit issues so that your company will stay out of the government’s radar now and well into the future.
Co Mówią Nasi Klienci
Ocena 5 gwiazdek | Na podstawie 200+ pozytywnych opinii na Google
My aunt was recently detained by ICE and sent to El Paso, Texas to the East Montana Detention Facility. This place is essentially a prison in the middle of the desert, and the majority of the detainees here get deported. My family and I interviewed a dozen immigration attorneys around the country to help my aunt, and we decided to hire Kevin Raica, an attorney with Kriezelman Burton and Associates.…
Our case was very difficult, and at times it felt like there was no way out. My wife was detained for a long period of time, and it was an extremely challenging experience for our family. Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC truly changed our situation. I would especially like to thank our attorney, Brittni Rivera, as well as Natalia. They were attentive, honest, and always ready to help. It was…
I cannot recommend Kevin Raica highly enough. He helped me successfully obtain my U.S. green card, and the entire process was smooth and stress-free because of his expertise and dedication. From start to finish, Kevin was professional, organized, and extremely knowledgeable about immigration law. He made sure every document was prepared correctly and took the time to explain each step clearly. Anytime I had questions, he responded promptly and made…
Great experience with this attorney office. They helped me with my I-751 waiver after divorce. Kevin was very professional, and supported me through the interview. Everything went smoothly and my case was approved. Highly recommend!
We contacted Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, based on a recommendation, when my wife was detained by ICE. Attorney Khiabett Osuna handled our case, and it turned out to be the right choice. From the very beginning, she proved herself to be a caring and competent professional, clearly explaining the process. You can tell she's truly invested in each case and achieving results for her clients. We've also heard of…
I would like to express my gratitude to Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, and especially to attorney Khiabett Osuna, who handled my case. I contacted them based on a recommendation and have never regretted it. From the very beginning, she demonstrated high professionalism. I could tell she was genuinely committed to the outcome and was doing everything possible to protect her client.
Mr. Kriezelman, Mr. Burton and Ms. Erin Cobb, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for handling my case. Your knowledge and dedication to my case is truly appreciated. Thank you.
I highly recommend Brittni Rivera. We are very grateful to her and the entire team at Kriezelman Burton & Associates. Your dedication, responsiveness, and compassion made an enormous difference during an incredibly difficult time. Serving as the liaison between Brittni Rivera and our friend in ICE detention, I saw firsthand how tirelessly she worked guiding us through the process, answering every question, and never losing sight of the humanity at…
Andrea C. Ochoa is truly the best of the best. ❤️ Our family went through one of the most difficult and frightening experiences of our lives when Feruz was detained by ICE. We felt lost, scared, and unsure of what would happen next. From the very beginning, Andrea brought us not only her professionalism and deep legal knowledge, but also something even more important — hope. She guided us through…
Thank you Matthew for all your help with my case. Highly recommend
Schedule a consultation!:
Umów się na konsultację!
Libertyville
Reklama prawnika. Informacje te mają wyłącznie charakter ogólny. Przedstawionych informacji nie należy interpretować jako formalnej porady prawnej ani tworzenia relacji prawnik/klient. Wcześniejsze wyniki i referencje nie stanowią gwarancji, rękojmi ani przewidywania wyniku Twojej sprawy i nie powinny być w ten sposób interpretowane. Wyniki z przeszłości nie mogą zagwarantować przyszłych wyników. Jakikolwiek wynik w pojedynczej sprawie nie ma na celu stworzenia oczekiwań podobnych wyników w przyszłych sprawach, ponieważ każdy przypadek wiąże się z wieloma różnymi czynnikami, dlatego też wyniki będą się różnić w każdym przypadku. Podając dane kontaktowe, użytkownicy potwierdzają i wyrażają wyraźną zgodę na kontakt za pośrednictwem udostępnionych metod komunikacji, w tym wiadomości SMS. Mogą obowiązywać stawki za wiadomości i transmisję danych. Częstotliwość wiadomości może się różnić. Odpowiedz STOP, aby zrezygnować.
NUVEW | Prawo autorskie 2026 Wszelkie prawa zastrzeżone | Informacja o dostępności | polityka prywatności