Thread: Immigration Officials Arrest More than 100 at Warehouses

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 105 foreign nationals who officials say were working in the United States without authorization at warehouses in Fife, Washington.

The arrested individuals were working at Regal Logistics, which provides storage space for customs "in-bond" merchandise entering the United States from abroad.

ICE agents say they identified the workers after a recent audit of hiring records of Phoenix Staffing, LLC, a temporary employment agency used by Regal Logistics.

ICE agents say it appears that many of the undocumented workers used counterfeit identity documents to obtain their jobs. The majority of the unauthorized employees are from Mexico.

The operation is part of ICE's worksite enforcement efforts focusing on businesses with ties to security sensitive sites and critical infrastructure facilities--including airports, military bases, customs "in-bond" warehouses, and bio-agriculture industries. The ICE says unauthorized workers with access to such sites are vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists, smugglers, traffickers, or other criminals. Regal Logistic's bonded facilities are located close to the area's major seaports, rail yards, and international airports.

ICE agents are reviewing the backgrounds of each of the workers arrested today to determine how their cases should be handled.

To aid employers, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services operates the Basic Pilot Program, a Web-based system that enables businesses to verify the employment eligibility of newly hired workers. Nationwide, there are more than 20,000 hiring sites using the Basic Pilot Program. Interested employers can call the agency's toll-free number [888-464-4218] to obtain more information about the program.

And, can you tell me why they didn't mention doing anything about the company, Regal Logistics, that hired them??? It says they got them through a temp agency so either the agency or the company should have been charged as well.

Since the government doesn't require employers to use the Basic Pilot Program, they can just say "gosh, we didn't know". No harm done.