ICE Targets 75 NJ Business For Possible Immigration Violations

Seventy-five New Jersey businesses are under scrutiny for possible immigration violations, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, or ICE.

ICE will audit the hiring records of 75 New Jersey businesses who could be employing unauthorized immigrants and violating other labor laws, according to Emilio Dabul, an ICE spokesman.

Dabul did not identify the New Jersey businesses that were given notices. But he did say the auditing is part of a nationwide operation conducted by ICE and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in which I-9 audit notices were served to more than 5,200 businesses around the country since January.

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

From July 16 to 20, the second phase of the operation, HSI served 2,738 notices across the country and made 32 arrests, though none were in New Jersey.

“This is not a victimless crime,” said Derek N. Benner, acting executive associate director for HSI. “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.”

While the agency routinely conducts worksite investigations to "uphold federal law," HSI is currently carrying out its commitment to increase the number of I-9 audits in an effort to create a culture of compliance among employers, according to Benner.

HSI’s worksite enforcement strategy focuses 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. HSI’s worksite enforcement investigators help combat worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices, according to federal officials.

HSI’s worksite enforcement investigations often involve additional criminal activity, such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation and/or substandard wage and working conditions.

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.”

ICE photo