When ICE audits your company, they issue a Notice of Inspection (NOI) requiring you to produce all I-9 forms and supporting documentation within 3 business days. The NOI specifies the timeframe of employment records to be inspected (typically all current employees plus terminated employees within the retention period), and employers cannot refuse the inspection or delay production beyond the 3-day deadline. ICE inspectors review every I-9 form for technical compliance—Section 1 completion, Section 2 timely verification, Section 3 reverification when applicable, proper document examination, correct dates, valid signatures, and adherence to acceptable document lists. Violations result in fines ranging from $288 to $2,861 per paperwork error, $716 to $28,619 per knowing hire of unauthorized workers, and $590 to $11,823 per document fraud violation, with average penalties of $500 to $5,000 per violation depending on violation severity and employer compliance history.

ICE audits are triggered by anonymous tips, disgruntled employee reports, industry-wide enforcement sweeps targeting high-violation sectors like hospitality, healthcare, construction, and food service, prior violations at the same company, rapid hiring growth that suggests potential unauthorized worker employment, federal contract bidding requiring compliance verification, and random audits conducted without specific cause. During the inspection, ICE may also conduct worksite enforcement actions including employee interviews, document verification with USCIS databases, and criminal investigations if evidence suggests systematic knowing hire violations or fraudulent document use. Employers found with substantial violations face monetary penalties, required termination of unauthorized workers, implementation of mandatory E-Verify enrollment, ongoing compliance monitoring, and potential criminal prosecution of owners, managers, or HR personnel if the violations demonstrate intentional non-compliance.

Lake Mead Mobile Notary helps Las Vegas and Henderson employers prepare for ICE audits by providing professional I-9 verification services that create audit-ready documentation from the outset. Our mobile notaries complete Section 2 verification with proper document examination, accurate data entry, and detailed record-keeping that withstands ICE scrutiny. We also offer pre-audit I-9 reviews for businesses concerned about compliance gaps, identifying common violations like missing signatures, incorrect dates, expired documents without reverification, and incomplete fields—allowing employers to correct issues through good-faith self-audits before ICE initiates formal inspections. This proactive approach significantly reduces penalty exposure and demonstrates due diligence that ICE considers when determining fine amounts.

When an employee's work authorization expires, employers must complete Section 3 reverification before the expiration date using either the current I-9 form version or a standalone Section 3 supplement. The employee must present new documentation from either List A (showing both identity and work authorization) or List C (showing work authorization only)—employers cannot require specific documents and must accept any valid documentation the employee chooses to present from the acceptable list. Common scenarios requiring reverification include Employment Authorization Documents (EAD cards) expiring after initial hire, temporary work visas reaching their end date, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) renewals, DACA work permits requiring renewal, and conditional permanent resident cards (2-year green cards) needing replacement with 10-year permanent resident cards.

Missing reverification deadlines is the #1 I-9 audit violation, appearing in 67% of ICE enforcement cases with penalties of $288 to $2,861 per unreverified employee. Employers must track work authorization expiration dates proactively—ideally 90 days before expiration—and cannot continue employing workers whose authorization has lapsed, even by a single day, without completed reverification. The reverification process requires the employee to present unexpired documents, the employer or authorized representative to physically examine them (unless using approved remote verification through December 2025), and proper completion of Section 3 fields including document title, number, and expiration date. Employers should maintain tickler systems, automated HR reminders, or calendar alerts for every employee with temporary work authorization to ensure timely reverification and avoid the severe consequences of employing unauthorized workers after status expiration.

Lake Mead Mobile Notary provides I-9 reverification services throughout Las Vegas, Henderson, and Clark County, helping employers maintain compliance when employee work authorization expires. Our mobile notaries travel to employee locations to examine updated documentation, complete Section 3 accurately, and provide employers with properly reverified I-9 forms that meet federal standards. This service is especially valuable for businesses with distributed workforces, remote employees, or limited HR capacity who need professional assistance tracking and completing reverifications before deadlines. We also offer reverification tracking consultations that help employers identify upcoming expiration dates and implement proactive compliance systems.