As they say, “The ICE man cometh”. Anyone can claim an employer has not complied with E-Verify and Form I-9 requirements—and worst of all; those claims don’t even have to be true to trigger an audit. If that’s not enough, government agencies are actually starting to “talk” to each other. For example, the US Department of Labor (DOL) communicates with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) communicates with Child Support Services and on and on.
Research shows, however, that audits are often triggered by complaints, which, in turn, most often come from disgruntled employees. Others come from audits of targeted industries. The point is that you cannot assume that you are immune from an I-9 audit.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not letting up. ICE has apparently resolved to continue auditing and inspecting employer compliance.
Correctly completing a Form I-9, that seemingly simple form, involves sifting through gray areas and often conflicting instructions that can prove to be a trap for the unwary, and often most well-intentioned employers. Even seemingly minor “paperwork” violations can land employers in hot water for non-compliance.
