By Jason Fry
Did you know that 76% of paper-based Form I-9s contain errors that can lead to fines from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)? That's according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In fact, penalties for administrative mistakes range from $230 to $2,292 per form. If an ICE I-9 audit reveals that the employer knowingly hired or continued to employ an unauthorized worker, possible fines range from $573 to $22,297. And there are other risks that employers should consider, such as administrative arrests, negative PR and business disruption.
We expect the Trump Administration to keep enforcement efforts a high priority, as stated in the President’s “Buy American, Hire American” executive order.
“I want the government to look at our employment-based immigration practices, look at the laws, look at the regulations, look at the policies, see where we can tighten things up a little bit more, so we are protecting U.S. workers,” said President Trump.
As someone hiring employees in the U.S., you should be able to answer the following questions:
View our free on-demand webinar: Journey Through an ICE I-9 Audit. Our Form I-9 experts will break down the ICE I-9 audit process into easy-to-follow steps so you can better prepare yourself and your organization to respond quickly and effectively. Key takeaways include: