ICE Worksite Raids Lead to Arrests, HR Director Indicted
D.Ray Mantle, February 14, 2008
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues its aggressive campaign against unauthorized employment, and recently announced preliminary results of two seperate investigations. A February 7th raid of a printer cartridge manufacturing plant in the Los Angeles area resulted in 138 workers being arrested. That same morning, 57 workers were arrested at a Utah worksite and indictments were announced against both the company and the HR director.
Universal Industrial Sales Inc. Indictments
Investigations into the company's employment practices led to two seperate indictments for this Lindon, Utah company and its human resources director. The employer was charged with 10 counts of harboring illegal aliens, all of whom are or had been employees of the company, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that these individuals had come into and remained in the United States in violation of federal law. The indictment alleges the company concealed, harbored or shielded the workers from detection for commercial advantage.
The second criminal indictment charges the HR director, a 39-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, with two counts of encouraging or inducing illegal aliens to remain in the United States unlawfully, which carry a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment for each count.
ICE Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers commented on the investigation, warning "These indictments show ICE's commitment to fully investigating companies and their hiring managers who attempt to disregard our laws. Employers who ignore their responsibilities and the law will be brought to justice."