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ICE Announces 1,000 New I-9 Employer Audits

December 03, 2009

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is apparently pleased with the results of their newly implemented worksite enforcement strategy (See http://www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/wkplce_enfrcmnt/WSE-Fact-Sheet.pdf), because they have issued an additional 1,000 Notices of Inspection to employers in November.  They will audit employers’ I-9 forms to determine compliance with employment eligibility verification laws.

The ICE also decided to release statistics since the April 30 implementation of the worksite enforcement strategy:*

  • 45 businesses and 47 individuals debarred;
    • 0 businesses and 1 individual were debarred during same period in FY 2008.
  • 142 Notices of Intent to Fine (NIF) totaling $15,865,181;
    • ICE issued 32 NIFs totaling $2,355,330 in all of FY 2008.
  • 45 Final Orders totaling $798,179;
    • ICE issued eight Final Orders totaling $196,523 during the same period in FY 2008.
  • 1,897 cases initiated;
    • ICE initiated 605 cases during the same period in FY 2008.
  • 1,069 Form I-9 Inspections;
    • ICE initiated 503 Form I-9 Inspections in all of FY 2008.

In July, ICE issued 654 NOIs to businesses nationwide in the largest operation of its kind before today – part of ICE’s effort to audit businesses suspected of using illegal labor.

Statistics resulting from the 654 audits announced in July:

  • ICE agents reviewed more than 85,000 Form I-9s and identified more than 14,000 suspect documents – approximately 16 percent of the total number reviewed.
  • To date, 61 NIFs have been issued, resulting in $2,310,255 in fines. In addition, 267 cases are currently being considered for Notices of Intent to Fine (NIFs).
  • ICE closed 326 cases after businesses were found to be in compliance with employment laws or after businesses were served with a Warning Notice in expectation of future compliance.

For more information, visit www.ice.gov.

* “ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton announce 1,000 new workplace audits to hold employers accountable for their hiring practices,” http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0911/091119washingtondc.htm

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