What Has Been Happening at OCAHO in 2024-2025?
At a Glance The DOJ’s Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) has issued four decisions over the past year regarding alleged violations of U.S. immigration law. The decisions concern the valuation of I-9 penalties, subpoena disputes, and the calculation of interest on penalties. From May 2024 through June 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO)—which is responsible for adjudicating violations of Form I-9, unlawful employment of unauthorized workers, and unfair immigration-related employment practices—has issued only four decisions . Of the four, two decisions concerned the valuation of I-9 penalties, one concerned subpoena disputes, and the final decision addressed calculation of interest on penalties. This year’s summary once again highlights the downward trend in published substantive OCAHO decisions. 1 This continued trend appears to be caused by the introduction of a Settlement Officer Program, which ...