Feds claim Flint Township restaurant manager helped illegal immigrant obtain fraudule
Feds claim Flint Township restaurant manager helped illegal immigrant obtain fraudulent documents
By Gary Ridley
mlive.com
on November 22, 2013 at 1:30 PM, updated November 22, 2013 at 1:32 PM
FLINT, MI -- A manager of a Flint Township Mexican restaurant was arrested after federal authorities claim that he helped illegal immigrants employed at his restaurant purchase fraudulent immigration documents.
A federal criminal complaint was unsealed Monday, Nov. 18, in Flint U.S. District Court. The man, who managed Puerto Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, has not yet been indicted or arraigned on any charges.
The restaurant, 3192 S. Linden Road, was closed Wednesday, Nov. 20, despite posted hours in the window stating that the restaurant should be open. Calls to a phone number listed on business records associated with the restaurant were not answered.
An affidavit filed by a special agent from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security claims that authorities discovered May 1, 2012, that an employee at the restaurant was working without legal authorization and was arrested. The employee was issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge and released.
The employee returned to work 12 days later and was allegedly told by the manager that he would have to obtain immigration documents to continue working at the restaurant, according to the affidavit.
Immigration agents provided the employee with a fraudulent work authorization document and the employee gave it to the restaurant manager, according to court records. The manager allegedly told the employee that the employee needed better documents because the ones provided to him were expired and contained a photograph of a different person.
The employee allegedly told the restaurant manager that he could not afford to purchase better fraudulent documents and the manager agreed to help the employee obtain higher quality documents by paying half the cost, according to court records.
Court records show the employee allegedly met with the manager June 5, 2012, and told him that he located a document supplier. The manager allegedly offered to pay $100 toward the price of the documents.
The employee met with the manager again June 12, 2012, and provided the manager with the newly-obtained immigration documents. The employee told the manager the documents cost $200, according to court records.
Immigration authorities claim that the employee, along with three other undocumented aliens allegedly employed at the restaurant, paid $200 per month to reside at an apartment leased by the restaurant manager. The manager agreed to reduce the next month's rent to $65 to help the employee cover the cost of the new illegal documents, according to court records.
The manager allegedly had the employee fill out a new I-9 employment eligibility form after the employee obtained the new illegal immigration document, according to court records. Authorities claim the manager had the employee illegally backdate the form April 15, 2012.
The employee told authorities this was the first time he was required to have the necessary employment and immigration documents while working at the restaurant, according to court records.
"An effective, comprehensive strategy must address both employers who knowingly hire unauthorized workers as well as the workers themselves," according to ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls. "ICE is committed to establishing a meaningful, sustained Form I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with the law, part of a comprehensive strategy to address and deter illegal employment."
A preliminary exam for the restaurant manager is scheduled for Dec. 9. He was issued a $25,000 unsecured bond Tuesday, Nov. 19. ICE officials say he is still in custody on possible immigration violations.
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/inde...ship_rest.html
