If you’re employing illegal migrants, there’s a lot you need to know when the Feds Immigration and Naturalization enforcers show up.
We went through this about 10 years ago when the I-9 Immigration forms came out, and you all had to register all your immigrant workers. Annoyance, yes. Not a big problem.
Tom Holman, who is running the search for illegals is more focused on criminal illegals, and will be for about a year.
This article is adapted from the Feb. 7th Phoenix Business Journal.
You should ask the INS person to show you their warrant for the search, and inspect it carefully. If it looks in any way hinky, refuse the warrant and call an immigration attorney. Cartelistas can produce fake warrants as well as anyone.
2) Based on what the attorney says, you can allow the search to proceed with a valid search warrant. You can accept the warrant but still deny the search.
If you don’t have documentation as to the hire, e.g., you’re paying them under the table in cash, you could be fined. It’s not clear how much or who determines it.
4) Make sure all your illegals are in process to get a green card, or citizenship, and have valid documentation of what their status is.
Eventually, you should have I-9 Immigration forms filled out on all non citizen employees.