I-9 Audits Coming Your Way
On July 1, 2009, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (aka, ICE) launched a new, "bold", audit 
initiative by issuing Notices of Inspection (NOIs) to 652 businesses nationwide. In comparative terms, these 652 NOIs are more that ICE issued during all of last year. According to ICE's press release, the notices alert business owners that ICE will be inspecting their hiring records to determine whether or not they are complying with the I-9 employment eligibility verification laws and regulations. This new initiative is part of the Obama administration's directive to ICE to shift focus away from finding illegal workers and toward efforts to hold employers accountable for their hiring practices.
Somewhat ominously, ICE's press release also states that the 652 businesses presented with NOIs have been selected as a result of leads and information obtained through other investigative means. In other words, these audits are specifically targeted, rather than casually random.
If you receive an NOI from ICE, my best advice is for you to call your local immigration attorney.
