In March, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a new temporary flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to COVID-19. This temporary policy was originally scheduled to last for 60 days, however, due to ongoing pandemic conditions, USCIS extended the policy
Form I-9 Fines
DHS Extends Temporary flexibility for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification again – now 12/31/20
In March, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a new temporary flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to COVID-19. This temporary policy was originally scheduled to last for 60 days, however, due to ongoing pandemic conditions, USCIS extended the policy…
USCIS releases new version of M-274 Handbook for Employers, Guidance for Completing Form I-9
On April 27, 2020 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new version of the Handbook for Employers, Guidance for Completing Form I-9 (M-274). The M-274 is an essential compendium of I-9 compliance information and instruction, and is designed to supplement employers’ understanding and knowledge of the various employment eligibility verification obligations.…
Avoid ICE Penalties! Use the correct Form I-9! New version of Form I-9 in effect as of May 2, 2020
This is a reminder that employers are required to use the new version of the Form I-9 as of May 1,2020. As noted in our prior post, USCIS announced the publication of the new version of the Form I-9 on January 31, 2020, with a 60-day grace period for its mandatory use. Accordingly, the…
USCIS issues Q&A Related to Temporary Policies for I-9 and E-Verify due to COVID-19
On April 3, 2020 USCIS issued a series of Questions and Answers regarding its previously announced Flexibility in Requirements Related to Form I-9 Compliance. See our blog post of March 20, 2020 Breaking News: DHS Announces Flexibility in Requirements Related to Form I-9 Compliance and Automatic Extension of time to respond to a Notice of…
Breaking News: DHS Announces Flexibility in Requirements Related to Form I-9 Compliance and Automatic Extension of time to respond to a Notice of Inspection (NOI)
Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Announcement of March 20, 2020: Due to precautions being implemented by employers and employees related to physical proximity associated with COVID-19, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it will exercise discretion to defer the physical presence requirements associated with Employment Eligibility Verification (Form…
New Version of Form I-9 Now Available
Today, Jan. 31, 2020, USCIS published the long awaited new version of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification for immediate use. The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) published a notice today in the Federal Register announcing the official release of the new version of the form, as approved by Office of Management and Budget on…
Yes, Employers should continue to use the expired version of the Form I-9
As you (should) know, the current edition of the Form I-9 expired on August 31, 2019. USCIS has decreed that, until further notice, employers should continue using this 2017 edition of the Form I-9 (annotated with “Form I-9 07/17/17 N” in the lower left corner and “Expires 08/31/2019” in the upper right corner) until further…
Form I-9 Immigration and Employment Law Alert: The Time is Now for a Proactive Audit
ICE workplace audits are on the rise. And if you didn’t know, the federal government and California are not harmonious in their views on immigration issues. That means that ICE raids on California employers are likely to continue, especially in target industries such as hospitality, construction, agriculture, tech, and manufacturing. And if you want to…
Employers Beware: ICE Is Ramping Up I-9 Audits to Record Levels

More than 5,200 businesses around the country have been served with I-9 inspection notices since January in a two-phase nationwide operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in what appears to be the largest I-9 inspection action ICE…