How Can Employers Prepare for Aggressive Immigration Enforcement?
With the new Republican administration set to execute an aggressive immigration enforcement strategy, employers should take concrete steps to safeguard their operations and be prepared to handle potential government audits and ICE raids.
Below are 5 practical suggestions for your business as immigration enforcement begins taking center stage:
1. Understand the Risks of Immigration Violations
Employers who fail to comply with immigration regulations face significant civil penalties, including I-9 violations up to $2,789 per form, and undocumented worker violations up to $27,894 per worker. Managers and business owners can also face prison time and criminal fines for harboring or concealing undocumented workers. ICE raids may halt business operations, damage morale, and lead to public relations issues, especially in industries like construction, agriculture, hospitality, and manufacturing, which often employ higher concentrations of undocumented workers.
2. Take Steps to Minimize the Likelihood of a Raid
Take a proactive approach, including I-9 compliance, audits, training, and a rapid response plan.
3. Know How to Respond if the Government Initiates an Audit.
If you receive a Notice of Inspection, contact legal counsel, gather documentation, and take action once the audit is completed.
4. Know What to Do if Subjected to an ICE Raid
Monitor but don't interfere with a raid, and be sure to ask for the warrant. Train your managers not to harbor workers, and document any records seized. Consider a crisis communications plan.
5. Prepare for Workforce Disruptions and Absences
Even unauthorized workers may have federal rights to walk off the job to protest raids, so train your managers to understand how to respond to legally protected concerted activity.
Webinar Invitation:
Employer-Lawyer, PLLC is hosting a free webinar on these important immigration law topics. We will be joined by immigration attorney Gardner Lange from Exodus Immigration, LLC.
Please join us on Friday, January 31st at 2:00 p.m. using the following link:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/7317380980112/WN_-YNiBqJLSSCvAmaTFEU8qA
