Thread: 14 Massachusetts companies fined for hiring illegal alien employees

I.C.E. News Release

APRIL 14, 2014
BOSTON, MA

14 Massachusetts companies fined for hiring unlawful employees

BOSTON — Following an investigation and audit of Form I-9 documents by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 14 Massachusetts employers were fined a total of $175,122.70 in fiscal year (FY) 2013 for various employment violations.

The inspection of the employers' documents is part of HSI's worksite enforcement strategy that launched in 2009 to reduce the demand for illegal employment and protect employment opportunities for the nation's lawful workforce. This strategy focuses agency resources on the investigation and inspection of employers suspected of cultivating illegal workplaces by hiring workers who are not authorized to work.
Employers are required to complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual they hire. This form requires employers to review and record the individual's identity and employment eligibility document(s) and determine whether the document(s) reasonably appears to be genuine and related to the individual. Additionally, an employer must ensure that the employee provides certain information regarding his or her eligibility to work, on the Form I-9.

Fines in Massachusetts in FY 2013 include:

COMPANY NAME	BUSINESS/INDUSTRY	CITY	BUSINESS LOCATION	# OF SUSPECT DOCUMENTS	FINAL ORDER AMOUNT
Lighthouse Masonry	Construction	New Bedford	MA	81	$22,500.00
Pureview LLC	Service	Chelsea	MA	21	$30,000.00
GM Employment Services, LLC	Service	Brockton	MA	1	$6,350.00
Calamari's III, Inc. (d/b/a Cal's Wood-Fired Grill & Bar)	Retail Trade	West Springfield	MA	5	$24,000.00
Today's Temps, Inc.	Service	Lawrence	MA	145	$1,716.00
Precision Cleaning Co., Inc.	Service	East Boston	MA	0	$8,360.00
Demoulas Super Markets, Inc.	Retail Trade	Ashland	MA	119	$38,491.20
Cruz Environmental Services	Construction	Lawrence	MA	15	$7,480.00
Green Stamp Corp.	Construction	Waltham	MA	9	$2,415.00
Top Shelf	Retail Trade	Boston	MA	1	$2,566.00
Joymark, Inc.	Service	Boston	MA	0	$10,000.00
Corolla Roofing	Construction	Winthrop	MA	9	$7,500.00
Mota Construction Corp	Construction	Hopedale	MA	2	$6,591.75
Framing Specialist Group	Construction	Hopedale	MA	6	$7,152.75

"These settlements serve as yet another reminder to employers that HSI will continue to hold them accountable for hiring and maintaining a legal and compliant workforce," said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of HSI Boston. "We encourage employers to take the employment verification process seriously, as we consistently expand the number of inspections we are conducting throughout Massachusetts each year. My agency will continue to focus its attention on employers that are knowingly employing illegal workers and will continue to target specific industries and businesses known or alleged to hire illegals."

During FY 2013, HSI conducted 56 inspections of employers in Massachusetts, an increase over the 34 inspections conducted in FY 2012, 30 in FY 2011, 20 in FY 2010, and 17 in FY 2009.

In previous years, the fines in Massachusetts were:

• FY 2012: HSI issued Final Orders for worksite violations against 17 companies totaling $349,619.54:
• FY 2011: HSI issued Final Orders for worksite violations against 11 companies totaling $187,420.20;
• FY 2010: HSI issued Final Orders for worksite violations against three companies totaling $67,440; and
• FY 2009: HSI issued Final Orders for worksite violations against one company totaling $9,753.

HSI worksite investigations
Effective worksite enforcement plays an important role in the fight against illegal immigration. HSI has developed a comprehensive worksite enforcement strategy that promotes national security, protects critical infrastructure and targets employers who violate employment laws or engage in abuse or exploitation of workers.

An effective worksite enforcement strategy must address both employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, as well as the workers themselves. In worksite cases, HSI investigators adhere to high investigative standards, including the following:

• HSI will look for evidence of the mistreatment of workers, along with evidence of trafficking, smuggling, harboring, visa fraud, identification document fraud, money laundering and other such criminal conduct; and
• HSI will obtain indictments, criminal arrests or search warrants, or a commitment from a U.S. attorney's office to prosecute the targeted employer before arresting employees for civil immigration violations at a worksite.

HSI also works with the private sector to educate employers about their responsibilities to hire only authorized workers and how to accurately verify employment eligibility, through such tools as the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program.
IMAGE program

Undocumented workers create vulnerabilities in today's marketplace by presenting false documents to gain employment, completing applications for fraudulent benefits and stealing identities of legal United States workers. To combat this, ICE initiated the IMAGE program in 2006. As part of the IMAGE program, ICE provides employers with education and training on proper hiring procedures, including use of employment screening tools such as E-Verify. IMAGE certified employers also undergo an audit of their I-9 forms to ensure current employees are eligible to work in the United States.

Employers that are certified with ICE through the IMAGE program pledge to maintain a secure and stable workforce and curtail the employment of unauthorized workers through outreach and education.

ICE recently revamped IMAGE, simplifying program requirements.
E-Verify

All IMAGE members must participate in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) E-Verify employment eligibility verification program.

Through this program, employers can verify that newly hired employees are eligible to work in the United States. This Internet-based system is available throughout the nation and is free to employers. It provides an automated link to the Social Security Administration database and DHS immigration records.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1404/140414boston.htm

This is all about money. They don't deport the illegals, they let them go to work somewhere else. I wonder if they put tracking devices on them so that can fine the new companies also.....

A simple slap on the wrist is not going to stop these hiring practices. The fines need to be so high that companies risk going bankrupt or those responsible for the hiring need to be sent to jail!

Those responsible do need to be put in jail. Fines are just another cost of doing business. Put the execs in jail for one year. Advertise that fact in business journals. Then look for legitimate I-9's to start falling like snow.
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Americans first in this magnificent country

American jobs for American workers

Fair trade, not free trade

Originally Posted by Newmexican

This is all about money. They don't deport the illegals, they let them go to work somewhere else. I wonder if they put tracking devices on them so that can fine the new companies also.....

I PUT THIS POST UP THE OTHER DAY ABOUT COMPANY THAT HIRING (IN PA WEST PITTSTON PA THEY ILLEGAL IMMGRANTS THAT ARE WORKING I SAY CLOSE THE COMPANY DOWN & ALSO FINE THE COMPANY AS WELL ) THEYSHOULD HAVE SOME ONE WORK UNDER COVER TO SEE WHAT GOING ON

They try to force their will on everyone for all kinds of things why don't they force E-verify on all employers, yep Southbronx got it right it is all about money..It is always about money.

From the standpoint of preventing illegal aliens from sneaking into the United States and undercutting Americans for jobs, the net effect of this is probably zero, because no employers are being put in jail.
***************************************
Americans first in this magnificent country

American jobs for American workers

Fair trade, not free trade