Gryphon HR

06/24/2026

Indiana’s new FAIRNESS Act takes effect on July 1, 2026, creating new state-level penalties for employers that knowingly hire or continue to employ individuals who are not authorized to work in the U.S. The law highlights E-Verify as a way for employers to demonstrate due diligence and establish a compliance safe harbor.

Employers with operations in Indiana should review their Form I-9 and employment verification processes before the law takes effect.

Read more: https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/insights/publications/2026/6/the-fairness-act-indianas-new-immigration-law-with-a-july-1-2026-deadline-for-employers

The FAIRNESS Act — short for Fostering and Advancing Immigration Reforms Necessary to Ensure Safety and Security — establishes significant new requirements for Indiana employers, governmental bodies, and universities relating to federal immigration law enforcement. The Act: (1) prohibits governm...

06/22/2026

Federal agencies have proposed requiring recipients and subrecipients of federal grants and financial assistance to participate in E-Verify.

If finalized, the rule would significantly expand E-Verify requirements for organizations that receive federal funding. Employers that may be affected should review the proposal and consider submitting comments before the July 13, 2026 deadline.

Read more: https://www.hrdive.com/news/feds-propose-mandatory-e-verify-participation-federal-grant-recipients/822280/

The rule would provide an “additional safeguard” to existing employment eligibility requirements, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget.

06/19/2026

A proposed North Carolina bill that would have expanded E-Verify requirements to employers with as few as five employees has been amended to keep the current threshold of 25 or more employees. However, the legislation continues to advance several significant compliance provisions for employers.

If enacted, the bill would authorize random E-Verify compliance checks, establish new audit authority for the North Carolina Department of Labor, increase penalties for noncompliance, and provide employers with a 30-day opportunity to cure certain violations. The proposal also includes a good-faith safe harbor for employers who properly use E-Verify but unknowingly receive fraudulent employee documentation.

For HR teams and employers, the proposal highlights a broader trend toward increased scrutiny of employment eligibility verification programs.

Read more:

News in Spanish about politics, immigration and community issues for Latinos in North Carolina.

06/17/2026

The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) recently issued an advisory highlighting identity theft, payroll tax fraud, and other financial crimes associated with the employment of unauthorized workers. The advisory encourages financial institutions to monitor for suspicious activity related to payroll practices, labor brokers, shell companies, and the use of stolen or fraudulent identities.

While the guidance is directed at banks and financial institutions, employers should take note of the broader compliance trend. The advisory reinforces federal scrutiny of employment verification practices and highlights the risks associated with identity fraud in the hiring process. Organizations should ensure their Form I-9 processes are compliant, investigate potential Social Security number discrepancies, and maintain strong employment eligibility verification procedures.

Read the advisory:

06/15/2026

The U.S. House recently passed legislation that would significantly increase funding for immigration enforcement activities, including additional resources for federal agencies responsible for worksite enforcement and employment verification oversight. House conservatives are pushing to codify these policies, demanding a vote by July 4.

While the bill's broader focus is border security and immigration enforcement, employers should pay close attention to the potential compliance implications. Increased enforcement funding may result in more I-9 audits, worksite inspections, and scrutiny of employment eligibility verification practices. Organizations that use E-Verify should also ensure their processes are accurate, consistent, and well-documented.

Read more:

Hard-line conservatives in the House are mounting an uphill push to codify President Trump’s border policies, demanding a vote by July 4 and warning that policies that have significantly cut down c…

06/12/2026

A federal court has vacated USCIS policies that had paused adjudication of immigration benefit requests for nationals of 39 countries, potentially allowing affected applications to move forward once again. The June 5 ruling found that USCIS exceeded its authority when implementing policies that delayed or paused decisions on work permits, adjustment of status applications, naturalization requests, and certain asylum-related benefits.

For employers, this development may affect employees and candidates whose immigration benefit applications were previously delayed under these policies. Organizations with foreign national workforces should monitor processing updates closely and be prepared for changes in case adjudication timelines.

While the ruling is effective immediately, additional litigation or appeals remain possible. Employers should continue to maintain strong I-9 compliance practices and stay informed as DHS and USCIS evaluate next steps.

Read more:

Takeaways A federal district court has vacated USCIS policies that paused adjudication of immigration benefit requests filed by nationals of 39 countries.

06/10/2026

Iowa has enacted new legislation requiring all public employers in the state to use E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of newly hired workers. The law also establishes penalties for public employers that fail to comply with the verification requirements, reinforcing Iowa's focus on employment eligibility enforcement.

For HR teams and public-sector employers, this serves as another reminder that state-level E-Verify requirements continue to evolve. Organizations should ensure their onboarding, Form I-9, and E-Verify processes are aligned with current state and federal requirements to avoid compliance risks.

As more states consider expanding employment verification mandates, employers operating across multiple jurisdictions should regularly review their compliance obligations and workforce authorization procedures.

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a sweeping immigraiton measure Tuesday that will require citizenship verification checks for new state employees.

06/08/2026

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed significant changes to employment authorization eligibility and duration for certain noncitizens, including individuals with humanitarian parole, deferred action, and pending asylum applications. Proposed changes could impact work permit availability, renewal requirements, and employer workforce planning if finalized.

Employers should note that the public comment period for this proposed rule closed on June 5, 2026. Organizations that may be affected by changes to employment authorization policies should review the proposal and monitor developments closely.

As immigration and employment eligibility requirements continue to evolve, maintaining strong I-9 compliance and reverification processes remains critical.

Read more:

Who is affected?: Humanitarian parolees, deferred action recipients, and immigrants with final removal orders would face tougher rules to obtain or renew work permits. What’s changing?: Proposals include one‑year limits, mandatory E‑Verify employers for renewals, proof of economic need, and st...

06/05/2026

The DHS has automatically extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Lebanon through November 27, 2026. Current TPS beneficiaries who continue to meet eligibility requirements may maintain their status and work authorization during the extension period. Existing Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued under Lebanon TPS are also automatically extended through November 27, 2026.

For employers, this update is a reminder to review Form I-9 records and ensure teams understand how automatic TPS-related EAD extensions impact employment eligibility verification. Employers participating in E-Verify should also be aware of DHS guidance regarding TPS-related work authorization extensions when managing employee records.

Read more: https://www.bal.com/immigration-news/united-states-lebanon-tps-automatically-extended/

The Department of Homeland Security prepublished a Federal Register Notice (FRN) on the designation of Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which DHS has automatically extended Lebanon’s TPS designation to Nov. 27, 2026.

06/03/2026

The White House recently announced proposed changes to the administration of federal grant programs that could impact organizations receiving federal funding. Among the proposed updates is a requirement for grant recipients to use E-Verify as part of the eligibility verification process, along with additional oversight and compliance measures for federal awards. The changes are intended to strengthen program integrity, improve accountability, and help prevent fraud in federally funded programs.

Employers and organizations that receive federal grants should monitor developments closely and evaluate whether their current employment verification processes align with potential new requirements. As details continue to emerge, maintaining strong Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance practices remains an important part of workforce compliance planning.

Read more:

DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s Office will also receive referrals of fraud within 10 days.