U.S. Intensifies Audits of Employers

John Morton, the new chief of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, a unit of the Department of Homeland Security, said that the agency is set to increase the number of companies it will audit and systematically impose fines on violators. Violations could also lead to criminal charges, he said.

E-Verify Verges On Expansion While Congress Weighs Immigration Reform
Used voluntarily by more than 137,000 employers, E-Verify checks new-hire information against Social Security and DHS databases. DHS announced in July that it would implement on September 8 a regulation compelling federal contractors to use E-Verify.

If Immigration Audits Your Employees' Legal Status

The U.S. Homeland Security Dept. under the Obama Administration has continued a Bush-era policy of focusing on employers when enforcing immigration laws. Hiring records, even for small and medium-size businesses, are coming under additional scrutiny, and fines are being levied for violations.