Immigration Enforcement: Preparation Tips for Surviving an ICE Audit
1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern / 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific / 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Mountain
Despite months of legislative inactivity on a stalled federal immigration reform bill, federal immigration enforcement activities have not slowed. Over a four-year period, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has audited at least 10,000 employers and imposed more than $100 million in administrative and criminal fines.
Earlier this year, 1,000 businesses across the country learned that they needed to prepare documents for I-9 compliance and worksite enforcement audits. This was the largest round of ICE inspections, known as "silent raids," since 2009.
These audits targeted many industries, from restaurants, food processing, and high-tech manufacturing to agriculture and more. The fact is, no industry is insulated from the possibility of an I-9 audit. And since ICE will only give a business 72 hours to respond in an audit, preparation is more important than ever so you can keep your organization out of legal hot water.
Participate in this interactive webinar, and you'll learn:
- In-the-trench “war stories” that are useful for illustrating how to prepare for and survive an ICE audit
- The version of I-9 form you should now be using, and the most common technical mistakes employers make when completing the I-9
- What USCIS is looking for to determine if an employer has engaged in discrimination or document abuse concerning its I-9 process
- The checklist of red flags to watch out for when self-auditing your immigration-related practices
- What to do if you uncover deficiencies concerning your workplace I-9s, including the proper way to correct errors
- Signs your workplace could be under-prepared for a visit by ICE
- The cost of immigration non-compliance, and how “knowingly hiring” or continuing to employ unauthorized workers is generally examined by ICE enforcers
- The administrative practices to have in place so you can respond in a timely manner to an ICE “Notice of Inspection”
- The records you must be ready to produce for ICE investigators
- Who to designate as the point person to communicate with ICE during an audit
- Types of subsequent notices your organizations may receive -- from a “Notice of Suspect Documents” to a “Notice of Discrepancies” and what you should be prepared to do if you receive these
- How much time you have to correct errors upon receipt of a “Notice of Technical or Procedural Failures” and how to appropriately address mistakes brought to your attention
- Factors to consider when deciding whether a settlement should be negotiated ahead of the issuance of a final order assessing fines and penalties
