Employer Compliance Inspection Center

(a) Establishment There is established, within Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Employer Compliance Inspection Center (referred to in this section as the Center). (b) Purposes The purposes of the Center shall be— (1) to create a culture of compliance for all United States businesses by imposing more effective, efficient, and standardized consequences, including civil and criminal penalties, on employers who fail to comply with the employment eligibility verification requirements; and (2) to consolidate worksite enforcement audits at a centralized location to ensure a standardized process and uniform application of the fine matrix. (c) Duties The Center shall— (1) carry out duties related to the processing of the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I–9, including audits, and related worksite enforcement investigations; (2) ensure that all United States businesses adhere to existing laws and regulations regarding employment eligibility; and (3) carry out such additional duties as may be assigned or delegated by the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (d) Response time The Center shall respond as quickly as practicable to employer inquiries based on the facts and circumstances of the employer making the inquiry. (e) Task force The Center shall establish a task force, utilizing existing information sharing agreements with other Federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of Labor, and the Internal Revenue Service, to serve as a force multiplier to proactively investigate crimes, including Social Security fraud, tax fraud, and wage and hour violations.