On July 1, 2009, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) launched a new audit effort by issuing over 650 Notices of Inspection (“NOIs”) to businesses nationwide. The NOIs alert businesses that ICE will be inspecting their Form I-9 employment eligibility records to determine whether or not they are complying with employment eligibility verification laws and regulations. This newest enforcement effort by ICE follows a recent Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) announcement that ICE will focus its resources on criminal prosecution of employers who knowingly hire illegal workers and that the agency will use all available tools, including civil fines and debarment, to penalize and deter illegal employment.