Texas Comptroller Don Huffines called on President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to audit every state and local government entity in Texas. He made the request after an agency-wide performance review he ordered found what appears to be long-running problems with employment eligibility verification and compliance with federal Form I-9 requirements.
Form I-9 is used to verify the identity and legal work authorization of people hired to work in the United States. The full scope of the problems is still being determined. A preliminary internal assessment found they may date back as far as 20 years and could leave taxpayers facing about $5 million or more in federal civil penalties. The agency said it engaged independent outside legal counsel to conduct a full investigation and will not contest legitimate penalties.
Huffines said the findings reflect decades of neglect and weak leadership. He said officials had not examined the agency's practices closely and that taxpayers are now facing the costs. He said that if 90 days of auditing found these problems in one agency, Texans should ask what may be found in others.