Thread: ICE targets 75 N.J. businesses suspected of hiring illegal aliens

ICE targets 75 N.J. businesses suspected of hiring unauthorized immigrants or other violations

Updated 1:34 PM; Posted 4:22 AM
By Kelly Heyboer
kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Immigration officials have notified 75 New Jersey businesses that their hiring records will be audited to determine if they are employing unauthorized immigrants or violating other labor laws, federal officials said.

The New Jersey businesses targeted for inspections were among 2,738 flagged for audits last week during a four-day nationwide operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency said.

"This is not a victimless crime," said Derek Benner, acting executive associate director for ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit. "Unauthorized workers often use stolen identities of legal U.S. workers, which can significantly impact the identity theft victim's credit, medical records and other aspects of their everyday life."



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In addition to handing out the audit notices, ICE arrested 32 people during the four-day operation, though none were in New Jersey, said Emilio Dabul, an ICE spokesman.

ICE did not identify the New Jersey businesses that were given notices or why they were targeted.

"As per privacy rules, those businesses cannot be identified," Dabul said.

The notices were handed out as the Trump administration has been stepping up enforcement of federal laws prohibiting companies and businesses from employing immigrants living in the country illegally.

In early January, immigration agents descended on more than 100 7-Eleven convenience stores around the nation, including several in New Jersey, to check the immigration status of employees.

At the time, ICE officials said the 7-Eleven operation was a "a harbinger of what's to come" for employers.

Later that month, ICE began a two-month operation that handed out 2,540 I-9 Notices of Inspection, known as NOIs, and made 61 arrests at businesses around the nation suspected of hiring unauthorized workers or violating other laws, federal officials said.

The notices handed out last week were the second part of that operation. The agency is trying to "create a culture of compliance" among employers, ICE officials said.



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Officials at 7-Eleven's corporate headquarters did not immediately respond to questions about whether any of their franchises in New Jersey or elsewhere received audit notices in last week's ICE operation.

In addition to focusing on the employment of unauthorized immigrants, the audits might uncover worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices, federal officials said.

Businesses that receive audit notices must turn over their hiring records within three business days. If it is found they are employing unauthorized immigrants, the businesses could be fined or face possible criminal prosecution.

Workers living in the U.S. illegally could also be arrested and face deportation, ICE officials said. That includes workers who give false or stolen social security numbers or fake green cards when they apply for jobs.

Asplundh Tree Experts, headquartered near Philadelphia, faced the largest-ever financial penalty in an immigration case last year after top company officials were accused of turning a blind eye when lower level employees repeatedly hired unauthorized immigrants to trim trees and clear brush nationwide.

In that case, managers hired workers who allegedly presented bogus driver's licenses, stolen Social Security numbers and fake green cards.

The company was ordered to forfeit $80 million dollars and pay an additional $15 million dollars in civil fines, ICE officials said. The company accepted responsibility for the charges and apologized to customers.

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/20..._of_hirin.html

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Businesses that receive audit notices must turn over their hiring records within three business days. If it is found they are employing unauthorized immigrants, the businesses could be fined or face possible criminal prosecution.

Why not both? Oh well, this is still good.

They use the criminal prosecutions to negotiate pleas with the fines because they want the money. Government Capitalism!!

I.C.E. News Releases

TOP STORY

WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT​

05/14/2018

ICE worksite enforcement investigations already double over last year




WASHINGTON – Less than seven months after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Thomas Homan issued a directive that called for increased worksite enforcement investigations to ensure U.S. businesses maintain a culture of compliance, the agency’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has already doubled the amount of ongoing worksite cases this fiscal year compared to the last fully completed fiscal year.

From Oct. 1, 2017, through May 4, HSI opened 3,510 worksite investigations; initiated 2,282 I-9 audits; and made594 criminal and 610 administrative worksite-related arrests, respectively. In comparison, for fiscal year 2017 – running October 2016 to September 2017 – HSI opened 1,716 worksite investigations; initiated 1,360 I-9 audits; and made 139 criminal arrests and 172 administrative arrests related to worksite enforcement.
“Our worksite enforcement strategy continues to focus on the criminal prosecution of employers who knowingly break the law, and the use of I-9 audits and civil fines to encourage compliance with the law,” said Acting Executive Associate Director for HSI, Derek N. Benner.

“HSI’s worksite enforcement investigators help combat worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices.”

ICE is the federal agency responsible for upholding the laws established by the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, which requires employers to verify the identity and work eligibility of all individuals they hire. These laws help protect jobs for U.S. citizens and others who are lawfully employed, eliminate unfair competitive advantages for companies that hire an illegal workforce, and strengthen public safety and national security.

Under federal law, employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire, and to document that information using the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. ICE uses the I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with the law, part of a comprehensive strategy to address and deter illegal employment. Inspections are one of the most powerful tools the federal government uses to ensure that businesses are complying with U.S. employment laws.

A notice of inspection alerts business owners that ICE is going to audit their hiring records to determine whether they are complying with existing law.

Employers are required to produce their company’s I-9s within three business days, after which ICE will conduct an inspection for compliance. If employers are not in compliance with the law, an I-9 inspection of their business will likely result in civil fines and could lay the groundwork for criminal prosecution if they are knowingly violating the law.

All workers encountered during these investigations who are unauthorized to remain in the United States are subject to administrative arrest and removal from the country.

Failure to follow the law can result in criminal and civil penalties. In FY17, businesses were ordered to pay $97.6 million in judicial forfeitures, fines and restitution, and $7.8 million in civil fines, including one company whose financial penalties represented the largest payment ever levied in an immigration case.

“Employers need to understand that the integrity of their employment records is just as important to the federal government as the integrity of their tax files and banking records. All industries, regardless of size, location and type are expected to comply with the law,” Benner said. “Worksite enforcement protects jobs for U.S. citizens and others who are lawfully employed, eliminates unfair competitive advantages for companies that hire an illegal workforce, and strengthen public safety and national security.”

HSI’s worksite enforcement strategy includes leveraging the agency’s other investigative disciplines, since worksite investigations can often involve additional criminal activity, such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation and/or substandard wage and working conditions.

HSI uses a three-pronged approach to worksite enforcement: compliance, from I-9 inspections, civil fines and referrals for debarment; enforcement, through the criminal arrest of employers and administrative arrest of unauthorized workers; and outreach, through the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers, or IMAGE program, to instill a culture of compliance and accountability.

Last Reviewed/Updated: 05/21/2018

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ic...over-last-year

The FBI should be doing this too. These 40 million illegal aliens stealing IDs and welfare and free health care and free k-12 from american citizens are the biggest crime problem we have.

I wish they would use sting operations where an agent applies for a job using false info. Then they could lock up some execs.

ICE delivers more than 5,200 I-9 audit notices to businesses across the US

ICE, please, please go into the neighborhoods throughtout the country and confront the millions of illegals working on residential construction jobs . This industry has been hijacked by illegal aliens, who steals jobs and wages from hard working Americans !