On November 19, 2009, at a program titled “2009 Government and Employers: Working Together to Ensure a Legal Workforce,” USCIS’ Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) office’s Chief of Staff, Ronald Atkinson, clarified the three types of employer site visits/inspection programs currently being conducted.  The following types of employer site visits/inspections programs are funded through [...]

On August 7, 2009, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) announced that Shipley Do-Nut Flour and Supply Company, Inc. (“Shipley”) was sentenced to court supervision, forfeiture of $1.334 million to ICE, and a criminal fine of $250,000 for conspiring to harbor illegal aliens.  In addition, three company managers and the company owner were sentenced to six [...]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (‘ICE’) has launched a new effort to audit the Form I-9 employment eligibility verification records of businesses nationwide. According to the Los Angeles Times, ICE issued audit notices to more than 650 businesses around the nation on July 1, 2009.

The Department of Homeland Security announced on June 3, 2009 that the effective date of the new rule mandating E-Verify use by certain federal contractors and subcontractors has been delayed again.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the new I-9 form, what an I-9 form is, and the penalties for non-compliance.  The penalties, both civilly and criminally, are becoming too severe to ignore.  Civil fines for employers can range from $3200 (per violation) for a first offense to $16,000 (per violation)  for a third or [...]