Friday, May 16, 2008
Sheriff Joe Arpaio uncovering illegals' fake IDs via business searchesPhoenix Business Journal - by Mike Sunnucks Phoenix Business Journal


Jim Poulin/Phoenix Business Journal
Some illegal immigrants are using false identification to gain employment in Arizona.
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Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is ratcheting up investigations of businesses suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, including scouring work papers and employment files.

Officials said those business investigations are producing charges of document fraud and identity theft against illegal immigrants using fake identification, but have not yet led to any employer prosecutions under the 5-month-old Arizona Legal Workers Act.

It is easier to prove an undocumented worker is using falsified work papers than it is to prove his employer hired him knowing that, said Art Pederson, an immigration and employment attorney with the Phoenix law office of Mohr, Hackett, Pederson, Blakley & Randolph PC.

"It's a much straighter route to the conviction," he said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stor ... tory5.html