they run the new verification system, if you don't complete it, there is no $2000 quota again.
is this one of new security?
No, they have email verification for years. Anyways it is good to activate 2fa for a good security. Easy to handle, the only problem is you don't have a phone. But still you can add on your pc Google authentificator
I never used poloniex, but I am curious that poloniex as a exchange had not enabled GAuth before???