As an immigration attorney in Houston, Texas, our office continues to regularly field questions and concerns regarding the I-9 form audit process. Employers already have to keep employment records to comply with the IRS, but with ICE audits on the rise, maintaining proper I-9 records is causing them a lot of anxiety.

ICE has increased the number of I-9 audits by 500% more in the past four years to more than 6,800. As the number of audits increases, so do the fines. In 2009, fines for all audited companies totaled $1 million. That number went up to $7 million in 2010 and $14 million in 2019.