For employers that have participated in E-Verify for many years, the start of 2027 brings an important record-retention deadline. USCIS recently announced that employers have until January 8, 2027, to download E-Verify records for cases last updated on or before December 31, 2016. After that date, USCIS will permanently dispose of those records as part of its records retention schedule. 

While the announcement does not change employers’ Form I-9 obligations, it does create a limited opportunity to preserve historical E-Verify information that may no longer be available once the records are deleted. 

According to USCIS, employers have until January 8, 2027, to download records associated with E-Verify cases last updated on or before December 31, 2016. USCIS will dispose of those records on January 11, 2027. Employers can preserve the information by downloading the Historical Records Report from E-Verify before the deadline. The Historical Records Report contains company information, case identifiers, and case resolution information for the affected E-Verify cases. USCIS also reminds employers that they should record the E-Verify case verification number on the corresponding Form I-9 or attach a copy of the case details page to the Form I-9 and that the Historical Records Report should be retained with the Forms I-9. 

What Does it Mean? 

For employers with long hiring histories, records may be spread across multiple worksites, HR teams, payroll providers, recruiters, or legacy systems. In some cases, the employees who originally managed E-Verify accounts may no longer be with the organization. 

The disposal deadline provides an opportunity to confirm that historical E-Verify information is properly retained and that older records are not lost simply because they were overlooked. Employers that have been enrolled in E-Verify since 2016 or earlier may be particularly affected. 

A few key steps to consider before the deadline, include: 

• Identify E-Verify accounts that were active before 2017. 

• Confirm who has administrator access to those accounts. 

• Download any available Historical Records Reports before January 8, 2027. 

• Determine where the records should be maintained within the organization’s I-9 retention system. 

• Document the preservation effort as part of broader immigration compliance and audit-preparedness practices. 

The January 8, 2027 deadline is not a new compliance requirement, but it is an important housekeeping reminder for long-time E-Verify users. Employers that participated in E-Verify before 2017 should review their records now, confirm access to historical accounts, and download any needed reports before USCIS permanently disposes of the affected records.