8:24 PM, Jul 15, 2013
Lindsey Seavert
kare11.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- After a routine employment audit, immigration officials arrested an employee at a well known Twin Cities Spanish immersion daycare for being in the United States illegally.

An employee at Jardin Magico, was who previously deported and was unlawfully in the US, was arrested at a location other than the daycare, and will enter removal proceedings, according to Shaun Neudauer, the spokesperson for the local US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office.

The arrest followed an ICE Homeland Security Investigation I-9 audit, which Neudauer said is routine to make sure businesses are complying with US hiring laws.

"At no time did law enforcement personnel enter the premises or conduct any physical law enforcement operations in or around any of the business locations," said Neudauer.

The Jardin Magico daycare sent all parents a letter Friday, July 12th, notifying them that the US Department of Homeland Security was conducting a review of employment records. Owners Xavier Lopez and Natalie Standridge Lopez said as a result some employees elected to leave the center instead of contest DHS findings. They stressed hiring practices have always been in full compliance with the law.

The letter stated: "There is no higher responsibility for us than to make sure your children are safe and well-cared for and that responsibility demands we hire the very best people we can find. We're confident we've done that and will continue to hire to that high standard. You can expect - and deserve - the same high quality of care for your children on Monday and every day thereafter that we've always provided."

The owners and staff met with parents from three locations Monday evening - Kingfield, Longfellow and Edina - to address parent concerns. During child pick up Monday evening, parents stood on both sides of the issue - some expressed worry and anger, while others offered support.

"We love the center and support them in the decisions they have to make, and value the curriculum," said parent Jennifer Newberg. "It's hard to find a job you love, and anyone who loves providing daycare for children should have an opportunity."

Jon Austin, the attorney for Jardin Magico, issued an email statement saying, "We're fully committed to our wonderful children and their families, to our amazingly talented staff and to working with the government as it reviews our staff's employment records. We understand the importance of the job they're doing and we believe the more they know about our school, the better they'll be able to understand how we work to uphold our commitments."

The center recently announced plans to open two new locations in Eden Prairie and Maple Grove, and said employees undergoing training for those locations will staff the three current centers during this time of transition.

The Jardin Magico website says the center was established in 2002 as a "grassroots child care center focused on the value of cultural learning and a healthy environment." It says Xavier and Natalie Lopez were recipients of the 2008 Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal Minority Business Award."

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