On March 16, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) updated its Form I-9 Inspection Fact Sheet to include a number of significant changes that materially increase Form I-9 compliance risk for employers.  

ICE has reclassified more than ten previously “technical” I-9 errors as “substantive” violations and eliminated the long-standing 10-business-day correction window historically afforded to employers during an I-9 audit. A technical I‑9 error involves minor, often clerical errors in completing or retaining I‑9s that do not significantly affect the form’s core purpose of verifying an employee’s identity and work authorization. Historically, ICE has treated technical violations as generally correctable within a permitted correction window. A substantive I‑9 violation involves more serious failures that do significantly affect the form’s legal requirements, such as failing to complete the form at all, not examining identity and work authorization documents, or knowingly employing an unauthorized worker. ICE generally treats substantive violations as not correctable, so these violations can result in fines or other penalties, even if committed unintentionally. 

Key Updates: 

• ICE has removed the 10-day period for employers to correct certain I-9 errors during an inspection. Substantive violations now trigger immediate fines.  
• The reclassified errors include many of the most common mistakes found in routine audits, including: 
• Missing date of birth (Section 1) 
• Missing date of hire (Section 2) 
• Failure to date Section 1 
• Failure to date Section 2 Certification 
• Missing rehire date (Supplement B) 
• Spanish-language Form I-9 used outside of Puerto Rico 
• Preparer/Translator errors (missing name, address, signature, or date in Supplement A) 
• Missing employer/representative title (Section 2) 
• Missing document info despite retention of legible photocopy 
• For employers using electronic Form I-9 software, it is now a substantive violation if the electronic system fails to meet the federal standards for electronic completion, retention, documentation, security, reproduction, and electronic signatures.  

ICE made these changes without issuing a Federal Register notice or public announcement, meaning many employers may be unaware of their increased exposure. Substantive violations currently carry fines ranging from $288 to $2,861 per form for first offenses, with fines increasing with repeat violations. 

Recent audit data indicates that the vast majority of I-9s contain at least one error, with paper forms showing error rates above 90%. The recent changes by ICE heighten the importance of proactive I-9 audits, updated training for hiring personnel, and careful oversight of electronic I-9 systems.  

Please contact a Foster LLP attorney if you would like to discuss internal I-9 audits, compliance strategies, or I-9 training options to help mitigate risk in the current climate of increased ICE enforcement actions.  

Foster LLP will continue to monitor the situation to determine how ICE implements the new guidance and will make future updates available via our firm website at www.fosterglobal.com