Audits: ICE isn't cracking down on illegal immigrant employers

Houston Chronicle ^ | Aug. 31, 2010, 11:11PM | SUSAN CARROLL

[BradtotheBone]

Immigration inspectors poring over the hiring paperwork of a California company last summer found that 262 employees — a whopping 93 percent of the total workforce — had “suspect” documents on file.

At an Illinois service company, auditors found dubious documents for nearly 8 in 10 of its 200-plus employees.

Inspectors examining records at a Texas manufacturing firm found suspicious paperwork for more than half of the 107 employees on the payroll.

But the companies didn’t pay a penny in fines. None of the employers was led away in handcuffs. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials didn’t even issue them a formal warning, the agency’s internal records show.

Instead, they were instructed to purge their payrolls of illegal immigrants. Armed with assurances that the employees with suspect documents were fired — or, in the Texas case, “self-terminated” — the ICE auditors closed the cases.

The cases are just a few examples included in ICE’s internal records on its audit initiative, an enforcement program launched last July by Obama administration officials.

In the past, ICE had faced criticism for raiding job sites and rounding up large numbers of illegal immigrants for deportation, but not necessarily building cases against employers. With the audit initiative, ICE aims to scrutinize the hiring records of more businesses and impose what top officials describe as “tough” and “smart” employer sanctions.

But ICE audit records obtained recently through a Freedom of Information Act request show that the agency has, in many instances, failed to punish companies found to have significant numbers or high percentages of workers with questionable documents. In response to the public records request, ICE provided limited details on about 430 audit cases listed as “closed” by the agency through February.

[a fool in paradise]

Billionaire restauranters like Tilman Fertita line the Democrat coffers.

If it seems “unfair” to drop his name, I recall an article about the corruption at a Fertita chain in Dallas that routinely shielded illegal employees from investigation (even hiding them in closets during inspections).

[I cannot think of a name]

Why do people think the illegal immigrant problem will EVER be solved when there are people here with money waiting?

Anyone ever heard of supply and demand? Provide the demand and someone will provide the supply.

It’s the same reason the drug war has been a total failure.

[Nachum]

Unless they are Hassidic Jews in Iowa. Then, they give them 27 years.

[IrishCatholic]

invasion bookmark.

[WOBBLY BOB]

At an Illinois service company, auditors found dubious documents for nearly 8 in 10 of its 200-plus employees.

Illinois Spends $55 Mil To Insure Illegal Immigrants http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2529942/posts not "unexpected"

[pallis]

Crack down on employers of illegals with jail and fines, and the problem starts to go away. We can’t have that.

[CMAC51]

Why do people think the illegal immigrant problem will EVER be solved when there are people here with money waiting?

Anyone ever heard of supply and demand? Provide the demand and someone will provide the supply...

Supply and demand is exactly the point. Either shift the curve by restricting the supply (close the border) or decrease the demand by significantly increasing the cost to employers (fines and imprinsonment).

[I cannot think of a name]

“Either shift the curve by restricting the supply”

Unfortunately, as we've learned the hard way from the drug war, restricting supply only affects the price. As long as the demand persists, somebody will find a way to provide the supply. And as has happened in the drug war, the drug dealers now provide the supply at a staggering profit.

The problem with attacking demand is that a lot of big companies and high profile individuals will get caught up in it. Twenty million illegals aren't just working for Mom and Pop stores. There's lots of big companies making millions off of some guy sweating his nuts off for $5 an hour. They'll use there considerable clout to make sure NOTHING changes about their source of cheap labor.

And as far as putting them in jail goes, if it was up to me there’d be people put up against the wall! You can cease your demand on your own, or we'll cease it permanently!

[ridesthemiles]

A list of the offending companies would give all a chance to personally boycott them.

Can that be posted here?

[DirtyDawg]

When a person applies for a job in agriculture, the employer obtains appropriate identification from the applicant. The I-9 is filled out and the information is submitted to the appropriate authorities. The prospective employer is not a document expert and if the document appears valid, the employer must accept it. In the past, if the Social Security number did not match the official records of the Social Security Administration a “No Match Letter” was sent to the employer. The employer was required to inform the employee that there was a discrepancy and it was the employee's responsibility to correct it. The employer's responsibility was completed. Then there was proposed regulations that would have required the employer to obtain verification that the discrepancy was cured within a stated time frame, I believe 60 days, or they would have to terminate the employee. Implementation of the new regs has not happened because the matter has been held up in courts and there is no political will to carry it further.

Most agricultural employers are not slave laborers attempting to undercut US citizens’ jobs. They hire people who show up at their doors with acceptable documentation and follow the rules laid down by our government. Is there suspicion that some may not be legal citizens? Sure but they risk legal action against them for unlawful termination if they act without verifiable cause. These are the rules laid down by our government and until the rules are changed, you can't demonize and criminalize employers who are law biding citizens operating within the law. The employers have not left our border unprotected for 30 years, the government has.

The solution is to protect our borders and establish a legitimate guest worker program. Then you know who is here, where they are and what they are doing.

To think that the solution to this problem is to jail and fine honest hard working farmers who are following the rules is beyond naive, it is just wrong.

[TLI]

At an Illinois service company, auditors found dubious documents for nearly 8 in 10 of its 200-plus employees.

Inspectors examining records at a Texas manufacturing firm found suspicious paperwork for more than half of the 107 employees

a California company last summer found that 262 employees — a whopping 93 percent of the total workforce

Good grief. Not a head of lettuce in sight.

.

[I cannot think of a name]

“To think that the solution to this problem is to jail and fine honest hard working farmers who are following the rules is beyond naive, it is just wrong.”

Fifty years ago most of the illegals might have been working as migrants, but it is just a pimple on the real problem today.

Twenty million illegals aren't working on farms. They are in virtually every city of the country, doing jobs most people wouldn't believe. And the companies practice a kind of “don't ask don't tell” using beards to keep themselves safe.

We have a large company here that has nothing but illegal groundskeepers. Of course they have a “policy” that they will only do business with companies that “prove” their employees are legit. Of course, nothing is said about their “subcontractors.”

It's going on everywhere and in every occupation. And having relatives that are farmers, I would hate to see the farmer caught up in this. But the fact remains - until employers stop looking for illegals, illegals won't stop showing up.

[pallis]

“To think that the solution to this problem is to jail and fine honest hard working farmers who are following the rules is beyond naive, it is just wrong.”

Change the regulations, and make it simpler for farmers to cull out illegal employees, or do what has been suggested millions of times, improve the migrant labor rules for agriculture, as you point out. But, in truth, I wasn’t thinking so much about farmers as restaurants, motels, contractors, factories, packing plants and so on. This is no longer just an agricultural issue. Absolutely jail time and fines are going to be necessary to stop illegal immigration. We could build a fifty foot high wall manned with machine guns, lasers, and special forces, and we would still have illegals getting in. (With the commies in charge, we might worry more about Americans not being able to get out). ...The first step is replacing leftists in agencies who see illegal immigration as a political advantage. Once the law is clear and observable, go after people who abuse it. It won’t take long before the illegals problem starts to evaporate.

The simple formula is this: Make it impossible for anyone entering the US illegally to obtain citizenship. Stop providing social services to illegals, including education for their children, anything other than genuine medical emergencies. In the same way crimes committed with firearms are punishable with harsher penalties, create harsh penalties for gaining employment with fake or stolen identification. And yes, fine and jail employers who hire illegals. It’s a package deal. Build the fence. Protect the borders, but don’t use that as an excuse to say the only people responsible are the illegals, and not the people who are hiring them, giving them social services, and allowing them to make a joke of our legal system.

[HiJinx]

Ping!

[DirtyDawg]

Pallis, thanks for your thoughtful comments ... we do not appear to be far apart in reality and we both want the same things .. I like your comment “Once the law is clear and observable, go after people who abuse it. It won’t take long before the illegals problem starts to evaporate.” I couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately it is mud at the moment.

blessings

[WOBBLY BOB]

sounds like Sela roofing in MN...

lots of sub-c’s and no habla.

[I cannot think of a name]

Try and get roofing or foundation work done in almost ANY city without illegals being involved - good luck!

Of course that's why the cost of roofing and foundation work has dropped so much (sarcasm off).

There's somebody making good money off of Pedro's labor - and it ain't Pedro or the consumer.

[stevie_d_64]

He also gives to Republican candidates and incumbents...

[stevie_d_64]

If ICE is not enforcing the laws, then it seems to me the prudent thing would be to fire all of them, and disband the agency...

Then that might get a few peoples attention...

By getting rid of the Federal goverment agency, that should automatically leave it to the states to enforce the laws they have concerning this issue...

Easy breezy...Simple...Direct...Low cost...

But what do I know...