Huffines Seeks Audit of Texas Government I-9 Failures

Texas Comptroller Don Huffines urged President Trump and ICE to audit every state and local government entity in Texas after an internal review.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Immigration

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of an austere government building silhouette and flagpole against a broad red-and-cream Texas horizon, evoking institutional scrutiny. — Texas Comptroller Don Huffines urged President Trump and ICE to audit every state and local government entity after an internal review found decades of Form I-9 employment verification failures. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Texas Comptroller Don Huffines called on President Trump and ICE to audit every state and local government entity in Texas. An agency-wide review found decades of failures in Form I-9 employment eligibility verification, with federal civil penalties of approximately $5 million or more possible.

Why it matters

The findings point to compliance gaps in how a state agency verified employee work eligibility, with potential federal penalties. Huffines' call extends the scrutiny to other Texas government entities.

A preliminary internal assessment estimates federal civil penalties of approximately $5 million or more for the agency's Form I-9 failures, which may date back as far as 20 years. The independent investigation's findings on the full scope have not yet been released.

The players

Don Huffines

Don Huffines is the Texas Comptroller who ordered the agency review and called for statewide government audits.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

ICE is the federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws, including employer verification of work eligibility through Form I-9.

The details

Huffines ordered a comprehensive performance review of the Comptroller's agency when he took office in August, which uncovered systemic failures in employment eligibility verification. The agency engaged independent outside legal counsel for a full investigation, has said it will not contest legitimate penalties, and is remediating the issues as part of its Taxpayer First Project.

August 2026: Huffines took office and ordered the comprehensive agency review.
Up to 20 years prior: Form I-9 compliance failures may have begun.
November 6, 2026: Huffines called on Trump and ICE to audit government entities in Texas.

Immigration Context

Form I-9 is the federal employment eligibility verification form that employers, including government agencies, must complete for every hire under federal immigration law. Huffines' call for audits of all Texas government entities applies that federal requirement to the state's own workforce practices.

Texas residents may see government agencies undergo I-9 audits that could lead to penalties paid with public funds. The independent review will recommend corrective actions that could change how state and local employers verify worker eligibility.

The takeaway

Verification errors in employment paperwork can carry large federal penalties and persist for years without detection. Employers, including public agencies, benefit from routine internal reviews of their Form I-9 processes.