Form I-9 and E-Verify Updates for 2026: What Employers Need to Know Now

Overview

The I-9 and E-Verify conversation has become more active in 2026, especially after ICE’s March 2026 Form I-9 inspection update brought renewed attention to how I-9 errors are classified during an audit. For employers and HR teams, this is not just a reminder to keep forms on file. It affects how carefully I-9s are completed, reviewed, corrected, stored, and supported when the government asks to see them.

The challenge is that many I-9 problems are not obvious when the employee is hired. Section 2 may be incomplete, document information may be missing, an old form may be corrected the wrong way, a remote verification step may be handled too casually, or an E-Verify case may be opened but not properly closed. These issues often sit unnoticed until an internal review, acquisition, complaint, audit notice, or ICE inspection brings them forward.

That is where the risk becomes real. ICE’s inspection guidance continues to distinguish between technical or procedural failures and substantive violations, and employers should be careful about assuming that every paperwork issue can simply be fixed later. Current I-9 paperwork penalties are commonly cited in the range of $288 to $2,861 per form violation, depending on the facts involved. Because penalties are assessed form by form, repeated mistakes across multiple employees can become expensive quickly.

Recent enforcement activity shows why employers should not treat this as a routine back-office task. ICE announced more than $8 million in notices of intent to fine against three businesses after worksite audits involving employment eligibility violations. In another 2025 OCAHO matter, a smaller employer was ordered to pay $31,900 after failing to prepare and present required I-9 forms for 22 employees. These cases show that I-9 exposure can affect both large and small employers, and that missing forms, incomplete records, weak correction practices, and poor process controls can create real liability.

This webinar will review where Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance stands now, including updates since 2025, 2026 enforcement concerns, proper I-9 review and correction practices, DHS electronic guidance, remote verification issues, E-Verify mandates, closure numbers, document-copy practices, error tracking, and common process gaps employers often miss until an audit or internal review reveals them.

Areas covered in the session:

• Learn what the updates are on the I-9 Form since 2025 and updates effective 2026
• Learn how to properly review the I-9 Form for errors that will save you liability concerns
• Learn how to make corrections on I-9 Forms as per DHS guidelines
• Learn how the DHS Electronic guidelines include an I-9 Form verification Policy
• Learn why, if the I-9 Form is 1 document and other supplements, there are a 15 page instructions and a 65+ page manual, is this document so difficult to complete?
• Learn how to distinguish between E-Verify mandates that are new and those that are previous guidelines
• Learn why the E-Verify process is getting pressure to be mandated by private companies
• Learn how Employers’ failure to add the E-Verify closure number to the I-9 Form is a huge error
• Learn how completing the E-Verify process still includes copies of documents
• Learn how to correct errors from E-Verify and how to track them
• Learn how to ensure your I-9 Form and E-Verify process meets the remote guidelines

Handouts:

Attendees will gain access to exclusive handouts, including presentation materials provided by the speaker and additional resources developed by Amorit Education to aid your teams in post-session implementation, handouts including:

• 2026 I-9 Audit, Error Review & Correction Workbook
• E-Verify, Remote Verification & Reverification Control Playbook

Why Should You Attend?

I-9 and E-Verify mistakes often remain hidden until an audit, internal review, employee issue, or government notice brings them forward. This webinar will help you understand which parts of the process deserve closer attention in 2026, especially after ICE’s March 2026 inspection update renewed focus on how I-9 errors may be classified.

You should attend if your organization handles new hires, remote employees, reverifications, electronic I-9 systems, E-Verify cases, document copies, or corrections to older forms. These are the areas where small process gaps can repeat across multiple employees and turn into expensive compliance problems.

The session is designed to help HR professionals and employers review their current practices with a more practical eye. You will leave with a clearer understanding of common I-9 and E-Verify risks, what needs to be corrected carefully, and where your process may need better tracking, documentation, and consistency before an audit exposes the issue.

Who will benefit?

This webinar is designed for professionals responsible for employment eligibility verification, onboarding compliance, E-Verify administration, HR recordkeeping, and audit readiness.

Those who will benefit most include:

• HR Managers/HR Directors/HR Generalists
• HR Compliance Officers/Talent Acquisition Managers
• Recruiting Managers/Onboarding Specialists
• Payroll Managers/Payroll Administrators
• Compliance Managers/Employment Compliance Specialists
• Employee Relations Managers/Operations Managers involved in hiring
• Office Managers responsible for employee records/Business Owners
• Small Business HR Administrators/Multi-location HR Coordinators
• E-Verify Program Administrators/I-9 Compliance Coordinators
• Immigration Compliance Specialists/In-house Counsel supporting HR compliance
• Risk Management Professionals/HRIS Managers handling electronic I-9 systems
• Managers responsible for remote employee onboarding