ICE audits local businesses

Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently requested 20 unidentified local businesses’ hiring records to determine whether they are complying with existing federal law.

The 20 audits were among the 140 total that ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations had conducted in its San Diego area of responsibility.

The review of the local businesses’ hiring records have yet to be completed, and no arrests were made either in the Valley or in San Diego as part of the enforcement effort, an ICE spokesperson stated.

HSI’s worksite enforcement strategy focuses on the criminal prosecution of employers who knowingly break the law, and the use of I-9 audits and civil fines to encourage compliance with the law, an ICE press release stated.

The local enforcement effort was part of a twophase nationwide operation in which I-9 audit notices were served to more than 5,200 businesses around the country since January.

From July 16 to 20, the second phase of the operation, HSI served 2,738 notice of inspections and made 32 arrests.

During the first phase of the operation, Jan. 29 to March 30, HSI served 2,540 NOIs and made 61 arrests, ICE reported.

HSI’s worksite enforcement investigators help combat worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices.