Get I-9 Audits Are You Ready? - San Antonio CPA Society

While your company may trigger an I-9 audit from an individual complaint, it is far less likely if you have airtight onboarding, hiring, and internal I-9 procedures in place. Remember, DHS and ICE are only obligated to investigate credible allegations.

Civil fines for I-9 paperwork violations range from $272 to $2,701 per violation and the fine increases with each repeated violation. If it turns out that an employer knowingly hired or continued to employ a worker without work authorization, the penalties to pay range from $676 to $27,018 per worker.

There are three categories that can trigger an I-9 audit from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration Custom Enforcements (ICE): complaints from individuals, data analysis, and government resources.

Your I-9 Audit Checklist Step 1: Create a List of Current and Previous Employees Since Nov. 6, 1986. ... Step 2: Collect All I-9 Forms. ... Step 3: Audit I-9 Forms. ... Step 4: Correct Any Errors. ... Step 5: Complete the I-9 Audit.

Brace for More Workforce Enforcement Efforts The government's Form I-9 enforcement efforts aren't showing signs of easing up. In fact, the total number of Form I-9 audits during FY 2019 held steady at a slightly higher rate of 6,456 audits over FY 2018. That comes on the heels of a nearly 340% increase in FY 2018 vs.

The audit may be conducted by either Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) or Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), a division within ICE. Immigration officials do not need a warrant to conduct an I-9 audit.

You may terminate an employee who fails to present acceptable documentation (or an acceptable receipt for a document) within three business days after the date employment begins. If you fail to properly complete Form I-9, you risk violating section 274A of the INA and may be subject to civil money penalties.

Due to the importance of I-9 compliance, it is recommended that employers conduct their own I-9 audit bi-annually.