Happy Holidays from CILG!
I-9 Compliance – Best Practices for 2014
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) pursuit of employers who violate federal immigration compliance laws is expected to be moving full speed ahead in 2014, and in some instances accelerating in comparison to prior years. As a result of both substantially increased funding for enforcement actions and an outcome of the public debate about illegal [...]
Paper or Electronic I-9s? Considerations for Both Approaches to your I-9 Process
Are you looking to replace your error-prone I-9 paper process with an electronic system in 2014? Companies that are considering transitioning to electronic I-9s should be aware that there are significant issues related to legal liability, security, functionality, and cost. There are benefits and disadvantages to both approaches. Some advantages of using electronic I-9 [...]
IMAGE Best Employment Practices
IMAGE (the ICE Mutual Agreement Between Government and Employers) is a voluntary partnership initiative between the federal government and private sector employers. The initiative is designed to foster cooperative relationships and to strengthen overall hiring practices. ICE developed the program as a new concept for employer self-compliance within the worksite enforcement program, through which employers can [...]
Another Wave of I-9 Audits on the Horizon
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is launching another round of worksite investigations. Recently, ICE has indicated it would conduct another wave of I-9 audits. ICE prioritizes investigations involving critical infrastructure and key resources. However, no industry or company, regardless of size, type or location is exempt from complying with the law and may become [...]
Upcoming Webinar: Internal I-9 Audit: Training for Human Resources
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 12.30-1.30 PM EST The Form I-9 appears deceptively simple, but is fraught with potential compliance issues including financial penalties. Given the intensification of worksite enforcement efforts, it is crucial for employers to assess their I-9 records and practices with an internal audit. This FREE webinar will provide training on how to [...]
OCAHO Reduces I-9 Penalties for Small Employers
Recently published cases appear to demonstrate a distinct trend at the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (“OCAHO”)* in drastically reducing ICE's penalty assessments, particularly when the employer is a small business and acted in good faith. One commonality we see in decisions is the consistent cite to, "Penalties approaching the maximum permissible should [...]
19 Diplomatic Posts Remain Closed Due to Potential Terrorist Activity
U.S. diplomatic posts in 19 cities in the Mideast and North Africa will remain closed until Saturday, August 10, though the closures could be extended beyond this date and to other posts. Per the Department of State, the following U.S. embassies and consulates are affected: Manama, Bahrain Bujumbura, Burundi Djibouti Cairo, Egypt Amman, Jordan Kuwait [...]
E-Verify Program Going Strong Based on new USCIS Reports
USCIS has just released new Reports on the E- Verify Program that focused on the accuracy of the program, employer opinions, employer and employee experiences in Arizona after state legislative mandates went into effect, and E-Verify Employer Agent (EEAs). The overall results from each of the studies show that the E-Verify users have confidence in [...]
Implementation of Immigration Benefits for Same-Sex Marriages
As we reported last month, on June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. With the end of DOMA, the immigration agencies have begun the task of implementing the Windsor decision and married LGBT couples can now access the marriage-based immigration benefits and other [...]