Immigration Audit Conducted on Barnes & Noble Warehouse

Posted: Feb 19, 2009 03:39 PM CST

Kellene Stockwell


Barnes and Noble's distribution warehouse in south Reno may be looking for some new workers come next week.

Despite other media reports, we've been told that no one has lost their job. Yet in the midst of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement audit on the company.

On February 2nd, the entire staff turned in documents verifying their legal status to work in this country. "If there's a lot of people that may be questionable with the documentation eventually it'll start to happen," says Jesse Gutierrez, executive director of Nevada Hispanic Services.

Gutierrez said his office has met with some of the workers who were concerned they had to get their papers together by Friday.

The manager on site would not comment, but the company did send a statement to Channel 2: "Barnes and Noble has fully cooperated with immigration authorities and has notified those employees identified by ICE. The company is committed to observing all employment documentation standards for our employees."

Barnes and Noble representatives say this was the first immigration audit for the Reno distribution center and some say it may not be the last. "That's part of the whole Homeland Security thing now they have to be more stringent on the document status."

Gutierrez admits most of the workers without proper documentations probably won't return to work. But he also said, that every case is different and some may be able to stay employed."They may have started out bad but they may have a chance, pay their fines, this and that without deportation."

Barnes and Noble said it gave workers time off with pay this week to get their papers together.


http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=9874169