What Triggers An I-9 Audit? + How to Avoid One | WorkBright

What triggers an I-9 audit?

Going through the process of an I-9 audit can be tedious, overwhelming, and stressful. However, knowing what triggers an I-9 audit can help your organization avoid an audit and remain in compliance with federal law. If your company ever does have to go through an I-9 audit, having airtight records and procedures can help make the process go as smooth as possible.

What factors trigger an I-9 audit?

There are three primary factors that can trigger an I-9 audit from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration Custom Enforcements (ICE): complaints from individuals, data analysis, and government resources. Other additional triggers include media attention, business changes, and prior violations. 

Complaints from individuals

• Complaints from employees, both current and former
• Complaints issued by job candidates who weren’t hired
• Complaints from business competitors

Data analysis

• Review of data on file at DHS
• Review of data provided by confidential informants
• Review of data provided by alleged co-conspirators

Government resources

• Information provided by other federal agencies

Media attention

• Publicity surrounding the company’s hiring practices or immigration compliance.
• News coverage linking the employer to unauthorized employment.

Business changes

• Ownership transfers, mergers, or acquisitions that require review of existing I-9 records.

Prior violations

• History of previous I-9 compliance issues or audit findings.
• Repeated errors or unresolved discrepancies from past government reviews.

Primary Triggers of I-9 Audits

1. Complaints from individuals

This category makes up a significant portion of I-9 audits conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, particularly complaints from former or current disgruntled employees. An employee is much more likely to file a complaint with DHS or ICE if they feel they have been treated unfairly. Although these complaints often have very little supporting evidence, they can still trigger DHS or ICE to conduct an I-9 audit for your company. 

Job candidates, who were interviewed but not hired, can also file complaints. Typically these complaints are based upon whether or not they were asked about immigration status, or if they feel they lost the job opportunity to an undocumented worker. Again, there is often very little evidence to support these claims, but DHS and ICE have an obligation to investigate credible complaints regardless. 

Business competitors are another source of individual complaints to DHS or ICE. Sometimes these complaints can be malicious with the intent to disrupt the company’s business operations with an I-9 audit, as these audits often require a large amount of time and energy, causing some productivity loss. Even if this is the case, if there is any reason for DHS and ICE to believe allegations are legitimate, they will still investigate through an I-9 audit.

Since individual complaints make up most of the I-9 audit triggers, it can feel like there isn’t much your company can do to prevent an audit. However, this simply is not true. While your company may trigger an I-9 audit from an individual complaint, it is far less likely if you have airtight onboarding, hiring, and internal I-9 procedures in place. Remember, DHS and ICE are only obligated to investigate credible allegations. If your company has I-9 compliance protocols in place, it is far less likely to be audited. 

2. Data analysis

Data on file with the Department of Homeland Security can also trigger an I-9 audit for your company. The federal government has access to several pieces of data on immigration and employment verification through their database. They are able to identify any trends or discrepancies with this data in regards to industry, region, and companies, then determine when or if audits are needed. 

Data provided by confidential informants is another source that can trigger an I-9 audit. These are typically cases where the informant has agreed to provide information in exchange for their own protection in a federal case. Some examples of this can be an undocumented worker detained by ICE or a DHS official that applies for a job and shares any information they get while at the company. 

Data provided by alleged co-conspirators is another way an I-9 audit can be triggered. In this instance, it will typically be someone on trial for harboring aliens. There are hefty sentences for this offense, some including life in prison or even the death penalty. These individuals are likely to give DHS or ICE information about companies hiring these undocumented individuals in order to lighten their own sentence. 

3. Government resources

Information provided by other government agencies such as the IRS can also trigger DHS or ICE to conduct an I-9 audit. Federal agencies work together and often share information. If the IRS suspects that a company is not complying with federal I-9 regulations based on their information, the IRS will share this data with ICE or DHS in order for them to conduct an I-9 audit. 

Additional Triggers of I-9 Audits

4. Media attention

High-profile media coverage related to a company’s hiring practices, especially those that touch on immigration or employment authorization, can attract ICE attention and may also initiate an I-9 audit.

5. Business changes

Mergers, acquisitions, or changes in ownership can prompt I-9 audits as authorities verify continued compliance. This is particularly significant when acquiring companies classify the seller's employees as new hires, requiring review of numerous I-9 forms.

6. Prior violations

A history of previous non-compliance or errors identified in past audits can increase the likelihood of additional scrutiny and follow-up audits.

What can your organization do to get through the I-9 audit process smoothly?

The best way to get through the I-9 audit process smoothly is to be proactive. Ensuring your company is in compliance from onboarding, to current employee I-9 forms, to I-9 keeping records for terminated employees. It’s helpful to conduct regular internal I-9 audits to find and fix any I-9 errors in order to remain in compliance. 

However, if your company does get audited for its I-9 forms, it’s helpful to first understand the process. The Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a specific process for I-9 audits. Here is a flowchart from ICE that outlines the tedious process from the notice of inspection (when your company finds out it will be audited) through the process of hearings and/or fines.After your company gets a Notice of Inspection, the process will begin. A representative from the federal government (DHS or ICE) will come and inspect your forms. The best thing your company can do is to cooperate with the inspectors and give them all the information they request. This is where efficient processes and procedures for I-9 records are helpful.

What does an I-9 inspector look for?

The inspector will be looking for the following: 

• Incomplete I-9 forms (Including missing documentation in List A or List B and C, information from Section 1 and Section 2, and signatures)
• I-9 forms that were not filled out within three days of hire
• I-9 errors
• Missing I-9 forms (Current employees and terminated employees)
• Undocumented workers 

If your company has any I-9 infractions, there are a few things taken into account. Sometimes, companies are just given a warning, while others are fined, which ranges from $281 to $2,861 per violation. There are a few things the federal government takes into consideration when fining. They will determine if this is the company’s first, second, third, or more offense along with if the company knowingly hired ineligible individuals, and if there are any uncorrected procedural failures. From there, the inspector uses a formula including factors such as business size, good faith of the employer, how many infractions there are, number of offenses, and how many unauthorized employees, to determine the fine amount. 

If your company does get a Notice of Intent to Fine (NIF), you can opt for a hearing before paying the fine. Per ICE, the employer is entitled to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge at the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO). This request must be made within 30 calendar days of receipt of the NIF.

How to Avoid I-9 Audits

The best defense against an I-9 audit is implementing proactive compliance measures that demonstrate your organization's commitment to following federal employment verification requirements. Rather than waiting for an ICE inspection, employers who establish robust procedures can significantly reduce audit risk and minimize penalties if an audit does occur. Here are some tips on avoiding an I-9 audit.

Conduct Regular Internal Audits

Catch issues before ICE does. Review current and former employee I-9s on a set cadence (quarterly is common). Verify timely completion (within three business days), accurate signatures, acceptable documents, and that records match hire/termination dates. When you find errors, correct with a single strike-through, add initials and date, and add a brief memo for late completions. Check out our blog for more on how to conduct an internal I-9 audit.

Some important questions to ask during this process include: 

• Are all new employees completing I-9 forms within three days of hire? 
• Are staff members that are responsible for filling out section 2 of the I-9 form doing so within three days of hire? 
• What processes and procedures are currently in place to ensure I-9 compliance during onboarding? 
• Are the I-9 forms complete and accurate?
• Are I-9 records secure and easily accessible?
• Is the company keeping old employee I-9 forms for the proper amount of time?

You can also download our free I-9 audit checklist, complete with all the information your company needs, best practices, common errors, and even how to properly correct I-9 form errors.

Store and Organize I-9 Forms Correctly

Keep I-9s separate from personnel files in a secure, access-controlled location (or compliant electronic system). Use clear indexing so you can retrieve forms fast during an inspection. Follow retention rules: keep each I-9 for the longer of three years after hire or one year after termination, then purge on a schedule.

Establish a Written Compliance Policy

Document your company-wide I-9 procedures—who completes what, when, and how. Include guidance on corrections, reverification, retention/destruction, and anti-discrimination. A uniform policy shows good-faith compliance and helps reduce I-9 penalties if issues arise.

Train HR Staff and Hiring Managers

Give everyone who touches I-9s practical training on deadlines, in-person/remote document inspection, acceptable documents, reverification, and avoiding “document abuse.” Reinforce that employees choose which acceptable documents to present. Keep training records and refresh regularly.

Use Electronic I-9 Systems

Reduce risk at the source. A compliant electronic I-9 software can enforce required fields, timestamp actions, automate reverification reminders, and maintain a complete audit trail. It also streamlines storage, retrieval, and purge scheduling—critical during inspections. WorkBright I-9 adds guided workflows, validation, and exportable audit logs.

Consider E-Verify Enrollment

While not mandatory for all employers, E-Verify signals strong compliance intent. If you participate, create a case for every new hire and keep accurate records. WorkBright I-9 offers integrated E-Verify to simplify submissions and tracking.

Collect Only Required Documentation

Ask for either one List A document, or a List B plus a List C—nothing more. Don’t steer employees toward specific documents or request extras once a valid combination is provided. This protects candidates and your organization from discrimination risk.

Have a Response Plan Ready

If you receive a Notice of Inspection, you typically have three business days to produce records. Notify counsel immediately, assign a point person to coordinate with agents, and limit access to nonpublic areas unless there’s consent or a warrant. Cooperate while protecting your rights.

Document Your Compliance Efforts

Keep receipts of your diligence: dates of internal audits, what you corrected and when, training logs, policy versions, and purge records. Good-faith documentation can significantly mitigate penalties if violations are found.

Simplify I-9 with WorkBright Today

Want to cut errors, speed reviews, and stay audit-ready? WorkBright I-9 compliance software centralizes completion, reverification, storage, and E-Verify—so your team spends less time chasing forms and more time hiring. Book a demo today!