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11/29/07Arizona U.S. District Judge Neil Wake is expected to rule before January 1st on whether or not Arizona’s immigration law which requires employers to participate in E-Verify is constitutional. A coalition of business owners, civil rights groups, and immigrant groups is challenging the constitutionality of the law in federal court with its principal argument being that Arizona’s sanctions law supersedes or interferes with federal law. It imposes requirements on employers that go beyond federal employment eligibility law. Opponents of the law argue that requiring employers to participate in E-Verify “improperly overrides federal immigration and employment rules and can lead to workplace discrimination by those trying to follow it. The state maintains the law affects only business licensing, an area it is entitled to regulate.” Regardless of the outcome of the case, an appeal from either the state or the coalition opposing the law is expected. The judge may also rule that he cannot consider the constitutionality of the law until the law is actually in force. The final outcome of the case may well determine if states are going to have the authority to use the power of denying business licenses as a means of attempting to punish businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants or who refuse to participate in E-Verify. Arizona Central
National In a report cited by the Los Angeles Times, Carolyn F. Shettle, who supervised the Westat Corporation’s analysis of the accuracy of E-Verify warned that nearly 10% of foreign-born U.S. citizens were initially told that they were ineligible to work in the United States when screened by E-Verify. Shettle characterized this error rate as severe. “The workers were cleared after contesting the initial findings, the Westat report said, but the manual review process for such cases is time-consuming and can result in discrimination against foreign-born employees.” The Los Angeles Times
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11/27/07National Employers have until December 26th to start using the new I-9 form which was released earlier this month. According to Manpower Blog, the biggest change in the I-9 is the elimination of five documents from the List A acceptable documents list.
Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-151)
Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570)
Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)
Unexpired Reentry Permit (Form I-327)
Unexpired Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571)
One document was added to List A:
Unexpired Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766
Oklahoma Representative Randy Terrill, who worked vigorously to pass Oklahoma’s anti illegal immigration law, House Bill 1804, isn’t finished yet with his determined campaign to rid the state of illegal aliens. His new proposal, which he refers to as the son of HB 1804, would institute English as the official language of the state. His most controversial proposal would severely penalize businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens or landlords that rent to them. “As for those who knowingly support illegal residents, he said he would like to provide for seizures of property, such as vehicles or houses, much as the law allows in drug cases. This would apply to employers who do such things as transport day workers who they know are in the country illegally to work sites and would include landlords who knowingly rent to illegal residents.”
National A new report commissioned by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, claims that although the accuracy of the USCIS database has improved in recent years that it still fails to meet the standards of accuracy required by the Congress. The database is particularly problematic when it involves foreign-born workers. Errors in the database could conceivably result in a person legally eligible to work in the United States being terminated from his or her job because of an inability to resolve errors in the database or errors made by employers in submitting the employee’s work eligibility information. Washington Technology
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11/19/07National Representative Heath Shuler’ immigration measure was introduced in the United Senate last Thursday. The bill would, in addition to increasing funding for border security, require all businesses in the United States to participate in E-Verify and increase government spending on worksite enforcement. The House bill has 105 cosponsors. The Asheville Citizen Times
National (Story 2) On Wednesday and Thursday last week, ICE arrested over 40 illegal immigrants working on military bases for various subcontractors. The arrests occurred in Virginia, Nevada, and Georgia. None of the contractors has been charged. Few details have been released.
Kentucky Robert Pratt, who was recently sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for hiring illegal workers in the construction industry, was arrested last week on charges of not paying workers’ compensation to the state of Kentucky. He is scheduled to start serving his federal sentence on January 7. The Enquirer
Michigan House Democrats in Michigan, lamenting the fact that the state has the nation’s highest unemployment rate, want to do something about it, so they are proposing legislation that would make it a felony to hire, presumably to knowingly hire, illegal workers. The legislation would also permit workers to sue a company if they believe that they lost their job as a result of their employer hiring illegal workers.The Monroe News
Virginia The Peabody Corporation, a Newport News fishing company with eight vessels, is accused of knowingly hiring 126 illegal aliens to work on its fishing boats between 2003 and 2007. “The U.S. attorney's office accuses Peabody, its owner, William Francis Peabody, and his daughter, Yvonne Michelle Peabody, of routinely hiring many illegal immigrants who produced false documents and gave different names and Social Security numbers.” The company allegedly ignored warnings from the IRS indicating that the numbers were invalid and even counseled illegal workers to obtain good quality fraudulent documents in case a boat was stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard. “Peabody is charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal immigrants for financial gain, misuse of a Social Security number, unauthorized access of a government computer, and engaging in the "pattern and practice of unlawful employment of aliens." The Daily Press
Missouri The Missouri Housing Development Commission voted Friday to crack down on employers who work on state-subsidized construction sites if they fail to verify that workers at their job sites are in the country legally. The commission included out strict penalties ranging from minor fines to a lifetime ban from participating in state programs that award tax credits for the construction of housing projects. “The new policy requires federal I-9 forms, which authorize work eligibility, as well as 1099 tax forms, to be made available to the state.” Saint Louis Today
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11/16/07Kentucky On Wednesday, ICE arrested 15 illegal aliens who worked at two Louisville area Chinese restaurants. The workers were arrested as part of a yearlong worksite investigation conducted by ICE. According to ICE, the 10 Chinese nationals and five Mexican nationals, all of whom were illegally in the United States, are being processed for deportation. “With Wednesday's arrests, federal officials say no criminal charges have been filed against the owners of the two restaurants, because it's still an ongoing investigation.” (The last sentence was quoted from WAVE TV 3.)
"ICE aggressively targets employers who egregiously violate immigration laws by knowingly employing an illegal alien workforce," said Jerry Phillips, resident agent-in-charge of the ICE office of investigations in Louisville. "Today's enforcement action demonstrates firsthand how we use our investigative tools to pursue those who take advantage of illegal labor for profit."During fiscal year 2007, ICE arrested 863 individuals on criminal charges in worksite investigations, and administratively apprehended another 4,077 illegal workers on immigration violations. These arrests have increased significantly when compared to the 160 criminal arrests and 685 administrative arrests ICE made in fiscal year 2004.
(Quoted from ICE’s website) United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement
In other news, Robert Pratt, a building subcontractor, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a federal court in Covington Thursday. Pratt was charged with using illegal aliens to work at Fischer Homes construction in Kentucky. Pratt’s son was sentenced to 12 months for his role in the hiring. “Investigators said Pratt, of Franklin, Tenn., used his companies, Progressive Builders and Pratt’s Quality Construction, to provide a buffer between Fischer Homes and the undocumented workers.” (Quoted from WLWT TV)Kentucky.Com (The Lexington Herald)
Arizona Arizona’s employer-sanctions law is being challenged in federal court in Phoenix. Under the law a business that knowingly hires illegal workers may ultimately permanently lose its business license. All employers in state must also participate in E-Verify. The law goes into effect on January 1st. A decision on its constitutionality is expected sometime next month. “A key issue in the case is whether Arizona is within its constitutional limits to use the state's business licenses as the way to punish any employer found to have knowingly hired illegal workers.” The Arizona Republic
California The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to issue municipal ID’s to all residents regardless of whether or not they are in the country illegally or legally. “Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who authored the ID card legislation, said the program is a smart public safety measure because it would make residents living on the social margins of San Francisco more likely to seek the help of police and could give them more access to banking services.” The San Francisco Chronicle
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11/13/07Kentucky Lonnie Storms and Todd Wilson were sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to harbor illegal immigrants and were ordered to pay a fine; six thousand dollars for Storms and three thousand dollars for Wilson. The men operated S&W Custom Interiors in Florence, Kentucky. In the plea agreement the men admitted to continuing to pay one person after finding out that he was illegal, using subcontractors who hired illegal workers, and continuing to pay one individual who was in the country illegally after discovering that he was using his cousin’s identity. “Their cooperation with federal investigators was a factor in their sentencing. The men initially faced up to 10 years in prison, but after one conspiracy count was dismissed against each, federal sentencing guidelines applied to their cases called for 12 to 18 months.” The Cincinnati Post
Arizona The Arizona Republic Reports of an economic slowdown in the Phoenix area. Businesses that cater to Latinos are especially feeling the effects. For example, “Phoenix used-car dealer Manuel Siguenza is selling two or three cars a week, down from 30 a week a year ago.” See the link to this article for more details. The Arizona Republic
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11/9/07South Carolina Sen. Jim Ritchie, R-Spartanburg, is sponsoring a bill that would require all businesses that have contracts with state and local governments to verify that their workers are legal. The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is supporting the bill on the condition that it preempts local laws. One of the concerns of the Chamber is that businesses do not have to navigate their way through a patchwork of local immigration laws. Beauford County already has an ordinance which authorizes the county to conduct random audits of businesses operating in unincorporated areas of the county to help ensure that their workers are legal. The audits examine employers’ I-9s. Some Beauford County legislators, though pleased that the state is addressing the issue, are concerned that the statewide bill would be weaker than Beauford County’s ordinance.The Island Packet
Illinois Approximately 23 illegal immigrants that worked for Ideal Staffing Solutions Inc. were arrested on Wednesday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The employees, in additional to being in the country illegally, have been accused of using fake security badges to gain access to secure areas of the airport where they loaded pallets, freight, and meals onto planes. “This case illustrates ICE’s resolve to ensuring unauthorized workers are not employed at our nation’s critical infrastructure facilities,” said Elissa Brown, special-agent-in-charge for the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago.The New York Times The Chicago Sun Times
National USCIS has released a new I-9 which is available for immediate use. Essentially the new form will reduce the number of acceptable documents that employers can use to establish the identity or work eligibility of new employees when completing the I-9. Here is a list of documents that are no longer acceptable.
Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)
Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570)
Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-151)
Unexpired Reentry Permit (Form I-327)
Unexpired Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571)
“Additionally, the most recent version of the Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) was added to List A of the List of Acceptable Documents on the revised form. The revised list now includes: a U.S. passport (unexpired or expired); a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551); an unexpired foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stamp; an unexpired Employment Authorization Document that contains a photograph (Form I-766, I-688, I-688A, or I-688B); and an unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) for nonimmigrant aliens authorized to work for a specific employer.”
The list and paragraph above are quoted from a USCIS Press release which you can read below.
“As of November 7, 2007, the Form I-9 with a revision date of June 5, 2007 is the only version of the form that is valid for use. However, DHS will publish a Notice in the Federal Register that provides employers with a 30-day period, beginning on date of publication of the Notice, to transition to the new Form I-9. The revision date of the Form I-9 is printed on the lower right corner of the form and states “(Rev. 06/05/07)N”. Both the revised form and the “Handbook for Employers, Instructions for Completing the Form I-9” are available online at www.uscis.gov.
U.S. Business and Immigration Law
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11/7/07Florida Cristina A. Flocken, the controller of Rosenbaum-Cunningham International, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to conspiracy to defraud the federal government and harboring illegal aliens. Flocken could be sentenced to up to five years in prison, pay a fine of $250,000, and face more than $15,000,000 in restitution payments. Owners of the nationwide janitorial company, Richard M. Rosenbaum and Michael Cunningham, also pleaded guilty to identical charges on Friday. Rosenbaum could get up to 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine; Cunningham could receive 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Both men are also likely to pay restitution. Over 200 illegal aliens working for the company were arrested back in February. The company essentially created a scheme to pay workers in cash through a dummy corporation to avoid reporting wages to the IRS or paying employement taxes. The scheme allegedly defrauded the U.S. government of 18.6 million dollars in employment taxes. Business Week
National Representative Heath Shuler, D-North Carolina, introduced legislation that would require all employers in the United States to participate in E-Verify within four years, strengthen workplace enforcement of immigration law, and add 8,000 border patrol agents along the U.S. border with Mexico and Canada. The bill would also require that all current employees be screened by E-Verify. The bipartisan bill has wide support with 44 Democratic and 40 Republican cosponsors. The bill would, according to supporters, reduce the number of jobs available to illegal immigrants. Green Bay Press Gazette The Helicopter Association International
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11/6/07Arkansas Alejandro Labra-Martinez was sentenced to time already served for falsifying government documents that he used to obtain employment at a Pilgrim’s Pride processing plant in De Queen. On August 14, Mr. Labra-Martinez was arrested for working under another person’s identity. The federal judge, Harry Barnes, said that the defendant was apparently a good worker but unfortunately for him-illegal. Mr. Labra-Martinez will likely be deported within 10 days. The message from Homeland Security is clear: illegal aliens that use false documents to obtain work in the United States will be prosecuted. The Texarkana Gazette
Texas In an ironic twist, a letter from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to a Williamson County judge charged that illegal aliens were working at an immigrant detention center in Taylor. CCA, the Corrections Corporation of America, operates the T Don Hutto Residential Center, an immigration detention facility. ICE has a contract with Williamson County which has contracted the running of the center to CCA. The letter from ICE charges that CCA had contracted illegal aliens to perform services at the center. KLBJ News Radio 590
National The Senate Agricultural Committee Chairman, Tom Harkin, indicated that a plan to legalize as many as a million and half illegal alien agricultural workers will not be included in this year’s farm bill. “Some farm-state lawmakers said they were concerned that Senator Dianne Feinstein, the California Democrat who is sponsoring the ``AgJobs'' legislation, would add it to the farm bill, possibly derailing the measure that governs issues including subsidies and food aid to the poor. “ Bloomberg
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11/5/07Illinois Twenty-three illegal aliens were arrested in the Joilet area Wednesday morning by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of an ongoing criminal worksite investigation. The workers were employed by ANNA II Inc., a staffing company that provides day laborers in the Chicago area. ICE initiated the investigation into ANNA II after having received credible information that illegal aliens were working there.
ICE aggressively enforces our nation's immigration laws, which includes focusing on the workplace," said Elissa A. Brown, special agent-in-charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. "We are significantly enhancing our worksite enforcement efforts as part of our interior immigration enforcement strategy." Brown oversees a six-state region that includes: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. During fiscal year 2007, ICE arrested 863 individuals on criminal charges in worksite investigations, and administratively apprehended another 4,077 illegal workers on immigration violations. These arrests have increased significantly when compared to the 160 criminal arrests and 685 administrative arrests ICE made in fiscal year 2004.Since it was created in March 2003, ICE has dramatically enhanced its efforts to combat illegal aliens unlawfully working in the United States. ICE's comprehensive strategy for effective worksite enforcement is aimed at promoting national security, protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring fair labor standards. Under this strategy, ICE especially targets unscrupulous employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens. ICE seeks to criminally prosecute these employers and pursue forfeiture of their illegally obtained assets. Criminally charging culpable individuals may also deter others involved in hiring illegal aliens.1
U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement
National The Human Resources Management website reports that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has yet to update the I-9, which expired on March 31, 2007. Employers’ responsibility to comply with employment eligibility verification responsibilities is not affected, and employers should continue to use the current I-9 until a new one becomes available. It appears that the government will eventually reduce the number of documents that employers can use to verify the identity and work eligibility of employees. Human Resources Management Website
Georgia Immigrants and Customs Enforcement arrested 30 illegal immigrants at the site of the new National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center at Patriot Park near Fort Benning in Columbus on Tuesday morning. An onsite project manager said that the workers were employed by various subcontractors. The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer The Atlanta Journal Constitution
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10/31/07Oklahoma U.S. District Judge James Payne decided Wednesday evening to reject a lawsuit to prevent the state’s controversial immigration law, HB 1804, from going into effect. The law is scheduled to go into effect on Thursday, November 1. The judge argued once again that the plaintiffs don’t have legal standing to sue; they cannot prove that any of them was directly harmed by HB 1804. The judge, however, never ruled on the constitutionality of the law. Tulsa World
Missouri Governor Blunt has initiated a crackdown on illegal aliens in the State of Missouri. In August, he ordered the Highway Patrol to check the immigration status of anyone arrested. In addition, he ordered the Missouri Department of Economic Development to check the immigration status of employees who work for companies that receive state incentives. Some civil rights advocates worry that businesses will be hesitant to hire Hispanics. The Houston Chronicle
South Carolina The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce has decided to support an immigration reform bill during next year’s legislative session. “The bill includes proposals to require businesses to verify worker identification and penalize anyone who hires illegal immigrants. The chamber also wants items added to the bill like banning cities and counties from passing their own immigration ordinances. It really impacts the prosperity of business in this state if businesses have to keep up with different sets of rules.” The Charlotte Observer
Wisconsin The attorney general issued a legal opinion stating that the state should check the immigration status of all applicants for a business license. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from obtaining professional licenses of any kind. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online
Arkansas Three of the state’s largest business groups are joining with church leaders and civil rights groups such as the ACLU to oppose any state or local legislation intended to deal with illegal immigration. A spokesman for Tyson essentially said that immigration matters should be left to federal authorities. Business Week
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10/30/07Pennsylvania Approximately 40 suspected illegal aliens were arrested Thursday morning in a raid conducted by ICE and by state and local police at a North American Manufacturing facility in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The company, North American Manufacturing, produces field and ammunition packs and cots for the U.S. military. Company officials indicated that they were shocked to see ICE arrive because they had checked the identity and social security cards of all of their 135 workers. ICE has not made any comments about charges or specified the precise number of those arrested. WNEP TV- Scranton, Pennsylvania
Maryland As part of a growing movement to control illegal immigration, a Carroll County Commissioner, Michael Zimmer, has proposed a bill that would deny county services such as housing services, library cards, or county health services to illegal aliens. The bill might also require the sheriff check the legal status of everyone arrested. If the bill is passed, the county would have to obtain approval from the state legislature before it could go into effect. WJZ CBS Baltimore
Arizona On Thursday, a federal judge set a hearing date for the case of Arizona Contractors Association ET a. verses Napolitano for November 14 at 10:30 A.M. Civil rights organization and business groups are hoping to overturn Arizona’s new immigration law, that some characterize as the strictest in the nation, before it goes into effect on January 1, 2008. The law could result in a business found guilty of knowingly hiring illegal aliens permanently losing its business license on the second offense. The Phoenix Business Journal
Oklahoma The state’s controversial immigration law, the Taxpayer and Citizen Relief Act, is scheduled to go into effect on Friday later this week. The law will require all businesses that contract with the state to participate in E-Verify to check the social security numbers of new hires. Every public employer shall register and participate in the Basic Pilot Program to verify the work authorization status of all new employees. No public employer shall enter into a contract for the performance of services within this state unless the contractor registers and participates in the Basic Pilot Program to verify the work authorization status of all new employees. In addition, all employers in the state will be responsible for withholding 6% of any compensation paid to an employee who does not have a valid social security number.
Moreover, the law will also make it a felony to knowingly transport, conceal, shelter, or harbor an illegal alien. The Lookout Monitor
Iowa A new report from the Iowa Policy Project concludes that illegal aliens are not a drain on the state economy. The report stated that undocumented workers pay nearly as much in taxes as legal residents and citizens but receive fewer benefits. The DesMoines Register
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10/29/07Vermont Guardeep Nagra, an owner of two hotels in Brattleboro, was arrested early this week and charged with harboring and employing illegal workers. ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI conducted a search of the Quality Inn and the Hampton Inn in Brattleboro and arrested 14 workers; thirteen of those were arrested on immigration violations, and one worker was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.
“Today's enforcement action is part of ICE's continued efforts to investigate those who hire and facilitate the hiring of illegal workers," Bruce Foucart, special agent in charge of ICE's Office of Investigations in Boston, said in a statement."No employer, regardless of size, industry or geographic location, is immune from complying with our nation's laws," Foucart added.1
South Carolina A group of state senators is supporting a bill to prevent employers from hiring illegal workers. Senator Randy Scott, one of the bill’s proponents, said that the people of South Carolina are fed up with illegal immigrants. The bill would prohibit state and local governments from doing business with companies that employ illegal aliens and permit local governments to detain illegal immigrants and send the bill for their incarceration to Washington. ABC 4 Charleston
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been listening to testimony from farmers who are warning the senate that there is an acute labor shortage in the state. Farmers are urging the state to leave immigration law up to the federal government. Some Republican lawmakers are working on legislation to require employers to use E-Verify to check the social security numbers of newly hired employees and to revoke the business license of any company found to have knowingly hired illegal workers. Chambersburg Public Opinion
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10/22/07Oklahoma The attorney general of the state of Oklahoma, Drew Edmondson, decided to postpone offering an opinion on the legality of the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act. Apparently the attorney general’s opinion would have little effect until a lawsuit against the bill is settled. Oklahoma Political News Service
In other Oklahoma news, a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act. The judge concluded that none of the nine plaintiffs has standing to sue. The judge essentially argues that none of the plaintiffs has suffered or will suffer directly from any provision in this law. “A true constitutional vetting of the law could only be achieved through a suit brought by plaintiffs with well-defined injuries causally connected to HB 1804.” For example, a restaurant owner claimed to have lost 40% of his business because of HB 1804. However, the law has not yet gone into effect so the restaurant could not have suffered a loss in revenue, in the judge’s opinion, as a result of any provision in the law. Clearly, this is an important victory for state and local immigration laws. PDF of the Judge’s Decision
Montana Elroy Figueroa was given five months of house arrest with electronic monitoring, 3 years of probation and a $4,500 fine in a federal court on Thursday for harboring, transporting, and knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. Mr. Figueroa, the owner of Figueroa Framers, employed 3 illegal aliens on various construction projects in Montana. Northwest Montana Daily Inter Lake
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10/17/07Missouri Back in May, ICE raided George’s Processing Plant in Butterfield arresting 136 undocumented workers. Now, according to KSBR TV, seven U.S. citizens were arrested Wednesday for harboring, hiring, and encouraging illegal aliens working at the processing plant to stay in the United States. Four of these employees are also accused of helping some of the illegal aliens steal the identities of U.S. citizens. The message from ICE is clear: supervisors, managers, and those working in human resources can and will be held criminally accountable for their role in knowingly hiring or harboring illegal immigrants. Both employers and employees are not above the law. KSBR ABC- Springfield United States Customs and Immigration
Virginia The Prince William County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday morning to deny county services to illegal immigrants and to give police the authority to check the immigration status of anyone arrested if the police have probable cause to believe that the suspect has violated immigration law. “Several other Virginia jurisdictions have passed or considered immigration-related resolutions, including Chesterfield, Culpeper, James City, Page, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties and the city of Manassas.” Loudon County already has a resolution to deny services to illegal aliens. The Washington Times
House Speaker Bill Howell reaffirmed his support for legislation in Virginia that would deal with the immigration crisis. He wants to revoke the business license of any business that is found guilty of hiring or harboring illegal aliens. Speaker Howell also wants to prohibit illegal aliens from attending public colleges. The Free Lance-Star
Nebraska David Wortman, the owner of Cloudburst Lawn and Sprinkler Company is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in January. He pleaded guilty earlier this week to harboring illegal aliens and structuring monetary transactions to avoid cash transaction reporting requirements. He has also agreed to forfeit approximately $437,000 in assets. Immigration News Daily
Pennsylvania A Senate committee is considering a bill that would deny services to illegal aliens in the state. “Sen. Joe Scarnati, the chamber's top-elected Republican and the bill's sponsor, said the intent is to drive illegal immigrants out of the state. ‘If they go to Maryland, if they go to New York, then (those states) will have to deal with it,’ Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, told the Senate State Government Committee. He said illegal immigration should be a ‘federal issue,’ but the federal government isn't tackling the problem.” The Pittsburg Tribune
National Judicial Watch, which describes itself as a non-partisan group committed to exposing corruption in government, reports that Democrats in Congress are now attempting to quietly attach the Dream Act to a Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Bill. “Senate staffers don’t even have the text of the amendment and there is a possibility that the unrelated human services bill will pass with the stealth attachment.” The Dream Act would provide a path to citizenship for those illegal aliens who came here before the age of 16 and who have completed high school in the United States and want to attend college or go into the military. There are different versions of the act. Corruption Chronicles- A Judicial Watch Blog
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10/17/07Nebraska A Grand Island lawn care company owner has pleaded guilty to harboring illegal aliens and manipulating financial transactions to avoid reporting them. David Wortman is accused of knowingly hiring illegal aliens and paying them in cash. Cloudburst Lawn and Sprinkler was raided by ICE last month, and 19 illegal immigrants were arrested. The Houston Chronicle
Texas The Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals decided Friday to reject the City of Farmers Branch’s appeal to dismiss a lawsuit charging that the City Council violated the state’s open meeting law. Prior to passing an ordinance in November 2006 that prohibited landlords from renting to illegal aliens, the council discussed the issue behind closed doors. The court’s decision will allow attorneys representing a resident of Farmers Branch to gain access to the minutes, notes, and any recordings from the meeting. One of these attorneys, Bill Brewer, has said that he plans to publish all this material on his website. Farmers Branch rescinded the ordinance and passed a revised one which has been, at least temporarily, suspended by a federal judge. The Star Telegram
Pennsylvania The Greater Hazelton Area Civic Partnership hired Zogby, a well-known and respected polling organization, for $50,000 to identify economic and demographic trends that might affect the Luzerne County community. The Zogby report indicated that Hazleton’s effort to control illegal immigration is bad for business. It even went as far as to state that businesses thinking about moving to Hazleton will locate elsewhere if their labor supply is dried up. The report urges the partnership, which is affiliated with the local chamber of commerce to “fight the mayor on every front.” The mayor of Hazelton, who vigorously opposes illegal immigration, contributed $1,000 to help pay for the report. The city has appealed a federal judge’s decision to strike down the ordinance. The Allentown Morning Call
Oklahoma “The National Coalition of Latino Clergy filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Gov. Brad Henry and Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, seeking to overturn House Bill 1804, a strict new state law against illegal immigration. The suit alleges that the law is unconstitutional and violates rights to due process for undocumented immigrants, who are listed as ‘John Doe’ or ‘Jane Doe’ in the list of plaintiffs. ‘The leaders and people behind House Bill 1804 are guilty of ethnic cleansing,’ said the coalition's president, the Rev. Miguel Rivera, at a press conference outside the federal court building.” Tulsa World
Arkansas The Fort Smith Board of Directors voted Tuesday to reject an ordinance to make English the city’s official language. The Fort Smith Times Record
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10/16/07Kentucky Following a nationwide trend to “crack down” on illegal immigrants, Louisville Metro Council Member Doug Hawkins has proposed an immigration ordinance that would ultimately lead to illegal aliens being denied many public benefits. Initially no one would be denied any benefits; instead each metro agency would be required to create a written policy that would explain what services and benefits could be denied to those who are illegally in the country. In addition, the ordinance would provide training for government employees to recognize false documents and give police officers and corrections officers training in how to turn illegal aliens over to ICE. If this ordinance passes and is successful, Mr. Hawkins has indicated that he will propose a new ordinance actually denying services to those who are illegally in the United States. The Courier Journal
South Carolina A Beauford County Official said that a federal judge’s decision not allow the federal government to enforce its new policy on no-match letters will not affect the county’s immigration ordinance which is scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2008. Businesses in the unincorporated areas of the county will be randomly audited to ensure that they have a business license and a complete I-9 form with a social security number for every employee. “Immigration lawyer Melissa Azallion, of Nexsen Pruet Adams Kleemeier on Hilton Head Island, said she preferred the county's plan to the federal rule. Azallion, who helped revise the county's plan, says it will have a better chance of holding up in court.” The Beaufort Gazette
Connecticut State officials are likely to make it more difficult for low income illegal aliens to get assistance with their heating bills this winter. Those who get help through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance fund would have to provide valid social security numbers for each member of their household. The Advocate
Iowa ICE and the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department executed a federal warrant last Thursday at a hog confinement and at a residence owned by Michael Vander Windt. Seven illegal aliens, allegedly employed by Mr. Windt, were arrested. The investigation remains open.WQAD
National The California Farm Bureau and the United Farm Workers Union report that the price of food may rise throughout the United States as a result of recent immigration raids from coast to coast. Field workers are afraid of getting deported, and the labor shortage is approaching a crisis level . KFOX TV
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10/10/07National Judge Charles R. Breyer, a federal judge in California, ordered an indefinite delay today in the implementation of DHS’s new policy on no-match letters, which states that an employer is required to terminate an employee within 90 days if the employee is unable to resolve any discrepancies reported in a no-match letter. Also, the yet to be implemented policy says that if the employer fails to terminate such an employee after being unable to resolve issues in a no-match letter, this failure could constitute evidence of having knowingly employed an illegal alien. The judge said that the government did not follow the correct procedures for implementing this policy. “He chastised the Department of Homeland Security for making a policy change with ‘massive ramifications’ for employers, without giving any legal explanation or conducting a required survey of the costs and impact for small business.” The judge also argued many discrepancies have nothing to do with one’s immigration status. Millions of legal immigrants and citizens could theoretically be fired for not being able to resolve no-match discrepancies within 90 days. The Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, in a report last year, indicated that 12.5 million discrepancies in the agency’s database pertained to native-born American citizens. Without intervention from a higher court, the policy could be in abeyance for months until a decision is rendered in federal court. The New York Times
Maryland Contrary to the national trend, the Frederick County Commissioners voted to defeat a resolution on Tuesday that would have asked state legislators to allow the county to deny some services to illegal immigrants. However, the commissioners did approve a resolution calling the federal government and state governments to take action to fix a broken immigration system. WTOPnews.com
Virginia Civil rights groups, including the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a federal judge to declare Prince William County’s ordinance that requires police to check the immigration status of anyone in custody to be in violation of federal law. The county has decided, at least temporarily, not to enforce this policy because of budget constraints. Many Hispanics and civil rights activists argue that this type of ordinance inspires fear and fosters discrimination against Hispanics. The Washington Post
Maine Doris Amanda Ayala Escalante pleaded guilty earlier this week to hiring 10 illegal aliens in a sea cucumber processing plant and restaurant that she operated with her relatives. A sentencing date has not yet been set. After serving her sentence, she will likely be deported to Honduras. Bangor Daily News
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10/10/07National According to the Boston Globe, the Bush administration is working quietly to rewrite federal regulations in order to reduce barriers for farmers who want to get guest workers by participating in the H-2A visa program. The program is so complex and unwieldy that only 2% of American farms use it. Farmers worry that any changes that the administration might make will not be in time for the 2008 growing season. The Boston Globe
The House Committee on Agriculture heard arguments from farmers and agricultural organizations that are making it abundantly clear that agriculture in the United States needs over 3 million workers. It is labor intensive. Agriculture may “die on the vine” if the nation doesn’t address this crisis. North Texas E-News
South Carolina The Beauford County Administrator announced that half of all businesses operating in unincorporated Beauford County will be audited for undocumented workers and business licenses staring on January 1 of 2008. “Businesses will receive at least three days advance notice of the audits, which demand access to documentation of the last three years of gross receipts, a list of employees from the last year and each employee's I-9 form, which documents immigration status.” Any business that doesn’t comply with regulations could have its license temporarily suspended. Then the County Council would meet to determine if a permanent suspension is in order. Some members of the council question the efficacy of the audits saying that spot-checking I-9’s will catch only “glaring errors or fabrications.” The Beaufort Gazette
West Virginia There is growing political pressure at the state and local level to deal with the issue of illegal immigration, especially after the Senate’s immigration reform bill failed to pass earlier this year. As part of the effort to address the crisis, three state legislators have joined a national group called State Legislators for Legal Immigration. Representative Carol Miller, one of these legislators, said, “West Virginia must follow the example of Oklahoma, Georgia and Arizona enacting state legislation that will enable us to curb these illegal immigration problems.” The representatives believe that illegal immigrants pose a security risk to the United States and a strain on welfare and Social Security. This year West Virginia enacted legislation that penalizes employers for hiring illegal or unauthorized workers. The Register Herald
Arizona The Consul General of Mexico in Phoenix reports that there has been a 36% increase in Mexican nationals applying for birth certificates for their American born children. The consulate has also issued double the normal number of passports this year indicating perhaps that a mass exodus of illegal immigrants in Arizona could be occur in December. Arizona businesses worry that such a mass exodus could devastate the economy. Arizona’s crackdown on businesses that hire illegal aliens is scheduled to go into effect, barring defeat in the courts, on January 1, 2008. Arizona Central.Com
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10/9/07Utah The Deseret Morning News reports the results of a poll that shows that most citizens of Utah want to see a crackdown on illegal immigration. There is, however, some sympathy for the children of illegal aliens. State lawmakers want action on immigration now that it appears unlikely that the federal government will take up immigration reform until at least 2009. Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble said that the state needs a comprehensive proposal to address the immigration crisis. Senator Bill Hickman plans to introduce a measure based on Oklahoma’s strict immigration law, the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Relief Act. The Deseret Morning News
Virginia Mayor Dalton Edge of Chesapeake wants the city council to discuss an ordinance that would require city contractors and vendors to certify that they don’t hire illegal aliens. In addition, the city would also be allowed to inspect a contractor’s documents and records. “City officials also plan to push the state to give local governments the authority to limit services to illegal immigrants, and to deny licenses and privileges to those who are in the country illegally.” PilotOnline.com
South Carolina Senator Glen McConnell, a Republican and the Senate President Pro Tem, has introduced a measure to force the United States Congress to act on illegal immigration by calling for a constitutional convention to give states the authority to expel illegal immigrants and decide what if any benefits illegal immigrants should receive from a state. He is hoping to get enough state legislatures to join him to pressure congress to act. The Winston Salem Journal
Missouri The News Leader reports a severe shortage of seasonal workers in Missouri. On September 30, 2007, the exemption on the cap for H-2B visas expired. Now the number of workers with an H-2B visa is limited to 66,000 nationwide. There are stalled proposals in the U.S. Congress that would allow a temporary lifting of the cap. Nationwide there is a strong demand for seasonal workers in restaurants, hotels, and bars, etc. The News Leader
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10/8/07Kentucky According to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, the owner of an Oldham County landscaping business, Dean A. Hedges, pleaded guilty on October 1st to knowingly hiring illegal aliens. He is accused of knowingly hiring at least 12 illegal aliens between September 25, 2006 and September 24, 2007. A former employee reported to ICE that the illegal aliens were treated as a subclass of employees who were allegedly paid a flat rate regardless of how many hours that they worked. “The maximum potential penalties for the corporation is a $250,000 fine, and the maximum potential penalties for Hedges are a $24,000 fine and six months imprisonment or up to five years probation. Hedges has also agreed to forfeit $147,000 seized from his corporate bank accounts. ‘ICE is aggressively pursuing employers who egregiously violate the law,’ said Elissa A. Brown, special agent-in-charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. ‘All employers in all industries and locations must comply with our nation's laws. ICE, and our law enforcement partners, will continue to enforce immigration laws from all angles, including: criminal charges, asset seizures, administrative arrests and deportations.’ Brown heads a six-state area, which includes: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin.” USCIS
Maryland More information emerged this week about the raid conducted by ICE in West Ocean City, Maryland, last week. ICE agents raided the Mikayo Sushi and Seafood Buffet the Panda Buffet, and the residence of Zhu Bo Hao, who is believed to be the owner of both restaurants. Six illegal aliens from Mexico and China were arrested and are soon to be deported. The Dispatch
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10/4/07National The Washington Post reports that business groups are joining labor unions in a lawsuit aimed at preventing DHS from implementing new rules regarding no-match letters. Business leaders argue that the government has failed to do a serious analysis of the impact on business, especially small business. Business groups contend that it will cost them at least 100 million dollars to resolve discrepancies in no-match letters. The government argues that the rule imposes no further obligation on business and that a regulatory flexibility analysis is not necessary. On Monday, a federal judge renewed a temporary ban on the new policy for 10 more days while he studies the issue. The Washington Post
“Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans, according to a study released Monday by a UC Irvine professor for the Immigration Policy Center, based in Washington D.C.” Overall crime in the United States is down while immigration is up the study contends. American Humanity
The number of companies using E-Verify has risen to 23,000 according HR.BLR.Com. A fact sheet about E-Verify is available from USCIS. HR.BLR.Com
Virginia Prince William County has delayed implementing an immigration ordinance that would permit officers to check the immigration status of anyone detained even for a minor offense. The county is going to consider this issue and the possibility of denying some social services to illegal immigrants in an October 16th meeting. State budget cuts appear to have caused the delay as the county scrambles to see if enforcing the ordinance is feasible with the current budget. The Daily Press
Nevada An article published on April 13, 2007, in the Ely Times, examines Assembly Bill 383, which went into effect on October 1,2007. The bill will allow the state of Nevada to revoke the business license of any enterprise that knowingly hires illegal aliens provided that the business is convicted in federal court. Another part of the bill requires the Nevada Department of Business and Industry to provide a link to Social Securit’s website so that employers can voluntarily check to see if a social security number is valid. The Ely Times
Louisiana Federal agents allege in a complaint which was unsealed last week that a company owned by Lenny J. Dartez, the husband of State Representative Carla Dartez of Morgan City, hired five illegal aliens from Trinidad. Winston Services had hired the men to refurbish offshore piping. Mr. Dartez denies any wrongdoing in the matter. “A former office worker for the company told agents that Dartez and his office manager allegedly knew the Trinidadians were illegal and processed their payroll information separately from other employees, according to the complaint. The office worker, who quit the company in May because of a conflict with another employee, also told agents that she recalled from 12 to 15 illegal immigrants from Trinidad working at the company in 2007, according to the complaint.” The case against Mr. Dartez, who has been released on his own recognizanze, is also being built on the statements of some of the migrants. 2theadvocate.com
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10/1/07Nevada ICE arrested at least 50 illegal immigrants Thursday in a raid of 11 McDonald’s restaurants and a franchise corporate office in Reno, spreading fear and anger within Nevada’s Latino community. Some of the 11 restaurants were also in Sparks and Fernley. The raid was conducted with a court-ordered search warrant and was not a random sweep. Luther Mack, the owner of at least some of the restaurants, maintains that he has never knowingly hired or employed any illegal or unauthorized workers. Channel 4 KRNV
Maryland Six suspected illegal immigrants were arrested at an Ocean Gateway sushi restaurant, Miyako Sushi Bar and Seafood Buffet. ICE agents executed three search warrants, but ICE did not reveal the names of the other locations. “Barbara Gonzalez, ICE spokesperson, said the six individuals allegedly committed illegal immigration infractions. Immigration agents transported the six people to Baltimore to the ICE office where they were processed.” The Daily Times
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9/29/07Pennsylvania State Republican lawmakers are working to introduce immigration legislation designed to crack down on illegal immigrants and the businesses that hire them, citing a report that shows a higher crime rate amongst illegal aliens. The first measure would authorize the state police to enforce immigration laws. It would call for a “memorandum of understanding” with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. The second measure would require all state employers to use E-Verify to help ensure that their workers are legally eligible to work in the United States. Businesses that knowingly hire undocumented workers could lose their business license. Lancaster Online.Com
Arizona Chicanos Por La Causa and Somos America, both Hispanic Advocacy Groups, have filed suit against the State of Arizona, arguing that Arizona’s Employer Sanction law unfairly impacts legal workers, violates due process, and infringes on federal law. The groups are represented by attorneys from MALDEF, the Arizona chapter of the ACLU, and the National Immigration Law Center. Smith & Garg, LLC
More Arizona News The federal government, according to the Arizona Republic, has added a feature that allows employers to compare photos on green cards and work authorization cards with those in a government database when the employer uses E-Verify. The State of Arizona will require all employers to use E-Verify starting on January 1,2008. The Arizona Republic
Oklahoma The Latin American and Hispanic Affairs Advisory is sending a letter to Governor Brad Henry which argues that Oklahoma’s immigration law supersedes federal law and is therefore unconstitutional. The law makes it a felony to transport, conceal, or house illegal aliens and is scheduled to go into effect on November 1. KTEN 10
National The Houston Chronicle reports that the Dream Act is off the table, at least for the foreseeable future. Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat- Illinois, conceded that he is unable to overcome Republican opposition to the measure. The Houston Chronicle
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9/27/07National The Bush administration, as part of its overall strategy of enforcing the nation’s immigration laws, announced that the Justice Department is suing the State of Illinois. The state has passed a law which prohibits businesses from using E-Verify until it can be demonstrated that the system is 99% accurate. The administration views this state law as a clear attempt to interfere with the enforcement of federal law. The Homeland Security secretary, Michal Chertoff, said that the federal government would vigorously oppose any efforts to hamper its enforcement measures. The New York Times
New Jersey The New York Times reports that Riverside, New Jersey, is joining a small but growing number of towns that are rethinking their immigration ordinances. Riverside’s Ordinance, which was recently rescinded, would have penalized businesses that hired illegal aliens or landlords that rented to them. It was intended to address the perceived problems associated with illegal immigration: noise, traffic, crime, and an increase in social spending, including education. What the city did not anticipate, according to the mayor, was the loss of business. Business is down; and many businesses have closed. “I didn’t think people knew that there would be such an economic burden,” the mayor commented. The cost of defending against lawsuits has affected the town financially. The town has delayed road paving projects and has been unable to repair City Hall. The possibility of having to pay the plaintiffs’ legal cost in a law suit may also have influenced the town’s decision to abandon its crackdown against illegal aliens. The New York Times
Virginia The Virginia Commission on Immigration conducted its first meeting Tuesday. The commission is beginning a detailed investigation to analyze the costs and benefits of immigration to the Commonwealth. The Star Exponent
Arizona The State of Arizona may be sending illegal immigrants, what the Arizona Republic calls, an odd message: open your own business. The state doesn’t check the status of people who apply for a business license. With Arizona’s tough new law that will require businesses to participate in E-Verify by January, it might be easier for illegal aliens to start their own business rather than seeking employment. The Arizona Republic
New York Bob King, a farm industry expert at Monroe Community College, says that farmers are looking at a chronic labor shortage. With increasing enforcement efforts in the state and new regulations on no-match letters, farmers are hard pressed to get their crops harvested. One farmer said that living in this country reminds him of life in Germany when the Nazis were in power; he was no doubt referring to immigration raids conducted by ICE. WHEC TV NBC
Florida The City of Naples now requires contractors who do business with the city to agree to hire only legal workers. This language is included within the contract. The contract asks that all consultants and contractors keep employee records on file and ready to be inspected with 24 hours notice. Naples New.Com
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9/24/07Nebraska The owner of Cloudburst Lawn and Sprinkler Systems, Inc., David E. Wortman, and the company itself have been charged in a fifteen count federal indictment that resulted from an immigration raid back in early September in which 19 suspected illegal immigrants were detained. The owner and the business have been charged with seven counts of illegally transporting undocumented aliens for commercial and private gain using company vehicles. The owner and company have also been charged with an additional seven counts of encouraging illegal aliens to live in the United States by offering them employment for financial gain and an additional count of making false statements to the Department of Labor about the number of hours that employees worked. It is alleged that the owner wrote numerous checks to a nonexistent company called Ramirez Lawns in order to pay his illegal workforce. Mr. Wortman may get up to 10 years in prison and over $250,000 in fines; the company could be fined over $500,000 as well. It is clear that as the federal government more vigorously enforces immigration law and that the penalties for violating it significantly exceed a slap on the wrist. The Grand Island Independent
National The Senate Majority Whip, Dick Durbin, is hoping to make the Dream Act a little more palatable to some skeptical Republicans by imposing an age limit of 30 and not requiring states to offer in-state-tuition to illegal aliens. The ostensible purpose of the act is to allow those who arrived in United States before the age of 16 and completed high school to become conditional residents of the United States. These illegal immigrant children did not knowingly enter the United States and should not presumably be held accountable for their parents’ actions. If those who are eligible complete two years of college or 2 years of military service, they could receive permanent residence in six years.The Houston Chronicle
National Bucking the national trend, Governor Eliot Spitzer of New York announced that the state will no longer require applicants for a driver’s license to demonstrate that they are legally in the U.S. A valid passport will now suffice as ID. The governor said that the DMV is not immigration and that allowing immigrants to have licenses will improve traffic safety and lower insurance costs. The New York Times
Wisconsin The Brown County Board passed an ordinance last Wednesday which will give the county the authority to revoke the business licenses of county businesses that hire illegal immigrants. WBAY ABC 2
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9/20/07New Jersey Riverside Township decided to formally rescind its immigration ordinance Monday. The ordinance would have penalized those who rent to or hire illegal immigrants. A federal judge has already ruled that a similar ordinance passed in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, is unconstitutional. Reuters
Texas Twelve undocumented immigrants were discovered working at Fort Bliss, an army post near El Paso, by military police on Friday. Military police responded to a tip and checked the IDs of approximately 335 workers. The 12 illegal workers were employed by a subcontractor working for Balfour Beatty, a landscaping company that does landscaping work for the post. The twelve suspected illegal aliens were turned over to ICE. The Houston Chronicle
Wisconsin The Brown County Board is considering passing an ordinance that would require all businesses licensed in the county or that do business with the county to participate in E-Verify to help ensure that their workers are legal. Members of the board acknowledge that the proposed ordinance has no teeth but would like it on the books. The board is also considering a measuring calling on the federal government to enforce immigration law. The Green Bay Press Gazette
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9/19/07National It is possible that Senate Democrats may attach the Dream Act to the defense spending bill in order to get it through congress. The Dream Act would allow illegal aliens who arrived before the age of 16 and graduated from high school in the United States to become legal and be on a path to citizenship. The Senate may also revisit the issue of expanding and streamlining current guest worker programs especially for agricultural interests.
Oklahoma The owner of Billy Cook Harness and Saddle Inc., Billy Cook, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a felony charge of furnishing false information about his employees to the commissioner of Social Security. ICE raided the Billy Cook Harness and Saddle Factory in August of 2006 arresting 51 workers who were suspected of being in the country illegally. “Agents also discovered that Billy Cook Harness and Saddle Inc. had failed to create and maintain mandatory immigration forms (I9) on each of the employees.” The American Conservative Daily
Montana United States Border Patrol agents apprehended 11 Mexicans suspected of working illegally in the U.S. in Billings, Montana. The seven men, who were spotted getting out of a minivan with out-of-state tags, were picked up outside a Golden Corral restaurant. The men said that they were working on a construction crew working on a new medical site in the area. The agents subsequently arrested a second group of four men who worked as part of a painting crew. The Billings Gazette
South Carolina Aiken County is working on an immigration ordinance that would require any vendors doing business with the county not to knowingly hire undocumented workers. Part of the ordinance would deny funding to any humanitarian organization that assists illegal aliens. “The limitations would only apply to organizations receiving ‘discretionary’ county funds.” The Aiken Standard.Com
Colorado The Rocky Mountain News reports that Colorado’s lawsuit, approved by voters in a referendum, to force the federal government to enforce immigration laws will likely meet its demise as early as next week. The Rocky Mountain News
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9/18/07Missouri Twenty people working at Continental Cement in Hannibal, Missouri, were arrested by state highway patrol officers last week on the suspicion of being illegal immigrants. The 20 workers were not employed by Continental Cement but by Schueck Steel of Little Rock, Ark. Officers were apparently responding to a complaint from a local legislator. The governor of Missouri had previously indicated that the state would do more to crack down on illegal immigration. The Quincy Herald Whig
Iowa Fifty one workers were arrested for being in the United States illegally on Wednesday at DeCoster Egg Farms in Wright County. A spokesperson for ICE said that it is too early to determine if charges will be filed against DeCoster Egg Farms for hiring illegal workers. Business Week
Ohio Twenty of the workers charged in the Koch Food raid are facing various state charges including identity fraud, tampering with official records, and forgery. Journal News
Oklahoma Five legislators have asked the state attorney general for a legal opinion about whether House Bill 1804, Oklahoma’s immigration law, is enforceable or might conflict with federal law in some instances. Tulsa World
Texas Senator John Cornyn heard complaints from farmers and ranchers at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Fort Worth. The farmers and ranchers say a shortage of labor is negatively affecting their operations and that they need a new guest worker program to meet labor demands. The senator said that it is very unlikely that we will see a new guest worker program anytime soon because it is difficult to reach an agreement in the legislature on such an emotional issue. One participant said that crops are not being harvested in Texas because of the shortage of labor. Another farmer added this comment.“Sir, I understand that security is a problem," said a thickly mustachioed member of the audience. "But right now the government is concentrating on [raiding] packing plants and, basically, agriculture and I don't believe any of the terrorists on 9-11 were working in packing plants or picking fruit.” The Star-Telegram
National CFO.Com reports that DHS and the Social Security Administration will not be sending out no-match letters until litigation about Homeland Security’s new rule that employers could be criminally and civilly liable for knowingly hiring undocumented workers if they fail to take appropriate action after receiving a no-match letter is resolved. A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily prevented the rule from going into effect until the case is heard. Over 140,000 no-match letters had been scheduled to be mailed out this week. CFO.Com