As discussed in my most recent previous article, Immigration and Customs Enforcementโs (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were out in force during the week of July 16 delivering Notice of Inspection (NOI)/audit notices. Well now we know the numbers – HSI served 2,738 NOIs and made 32 arrests in a one-week period. This is a massive operation and over 10 times as big as ICEโs operation in California earlier this year.
ICE announced I-9 audit notices were served to more than 5,200 businesses around the United States since January 2018. During the first phase of the operation, January 29 to March 30, 2018, HSI served 2,540 NOIs and made 61 arrests. Thus, at the present rate, ICE-HSI will reach over 8,500 NOIs for the 2018 calendar year. This is over 5,000 audits more than the highest previous amount of about 3,100 in 2013.
HSI is currently carrying out its commitment to increase the number of I-9 audits in an effort to create a culture of compliance among employers, according to Derek N. Benner, Acting Executive Associate Director for HSI. HSIโs worksite enforcement strategy focuses on the criminal prosecution of employers who knowingly break the law, and the use of I-9 audits and civil fines to encourage compliance with the law. HSIโs worksite enforcement investigators help combat worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices.
Failure to follow the law can result in criminal and civil penalties. In FY17, businesses were ordered to pay $97.6 million in judicial forfeitures, fines, and restitution, and $7.8 million in civil fines, including one company whose financial penalties represented the largest payment ever levied in an immigration case.
In FY 2018, to date, HSI opened 6,093 worksite investigations and made 675 criminal and 984 administrative worksite-related arrests, respectively. In fiscal year 2017, HSI opened 1,716 worksite investigations; initiated 1,360 I-9 audits; and made 139 criminal arrests and 172 administrative arrests related to worksite enforcement.
Will your company be the next target? My advice is to be prepared through an internal I-9 Audit. An immigration attorney familiar with I-9 forms and worksite enforcement is the perfect person to assist you in an internal I-9 audit.
If you want to know more information on employer immigration compliance, I recommend you read The I-9 and E-Verify Handbook, a book I co-authored with Greg Siskind, and available at amazon. If you need help with an I-9 audit, contact me at bbuchanan@sblimmigration.com. Our firm performs I-9 audits for employers throughout the country.