On July 1, 2009, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued Notices of Inspection to 652 businesses across the country. In Fiscal Year 2008, 503 similar notices were issued all year. The notices alert business owners that ICE will be inspecting their I-9 Forms to determine whether they are complying with employment eligibility verification laws and regulations. In a news release, ICE says it is part of their new strategic effort to “reduce the demand for illegal employment and protect employment opportunities for the nation’s lawful workforce.” ICE also claims to be “focusing its resources on the auditing and investigation of employers suspected of cultivating illegal workplaces by knowingly employing illegal workers.”

ICE News Release: http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0907/090701washington.htm