I know this from my own experience, HR departments in most smaller companies in the US are unfamiliar with US immigration laws and are sometimes cavalier about the forms. When a mistake is made they think that it's just an oopsy and it'll work itself out. They have to fill out I-9s all the time even for American employees. It would be easy for someone to just fill it out by rote not realizing the horrible consequence. Also speaking from experience, even specialist lawyers make mistakes so getting an immigration specialist does not inoculate you from a game over situation. The decisions are often arbitrary and not consistent. This is even more an issue when directly dealing with a border agent who has infinite power, is not a lawyer, yet has to deal with nuances of immigration law. You can't appeal (unless perhaps you go the congress route but I've am not familiar with that option). All the people here who bravely sit in their high tower and pronounce judgement about this consequential error have either never had to face the same situation but I'm sure they've all had bad speeding tickets and other bureaucratic errors go against them. I'm sure they feel much different then even when the consequences are not as severe. And if you really just think tough luck you deserved it then you are just a bad person.
