Recently, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced its first agreement to enroll a South Carolina company into the Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program.

As a brief overview for those of you who are not familiar with program, IMAGE is a voluntary initiative that aims to reduce unauthorized employment and minimize I-9 compliance vulnerabilities for participating businesses.  In exchange for receiving training on hiring practices, fraudulent document detection, use of the E-Verify employment eligibility verification program, and anti-discrimination procedures, participants must agree to an I-9 audit conducted by ICE and enroll in E-Verify, amongst other conditions.  Upon enrollment in and commitment to IMAGE Best Employment Practices, program members will be deemed “IMAGE certified.”

For more detailed information about IMAGE, please visit ICE’s website.