Adam Putnam’s office faced immigration vetting accusations

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s office faced accusations in a wrongful termination lawsuit that it failed to properly vet the immigration status of people applying for security guard licenses, the latest revelation in a scandal that has plagued the Republican’s bid for governor.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services ultimately settled the suit in 2016 for $25,000, including back-pay and attorney’s fees, while denying any wrongdoing.

James Daniel Smith Jr., a former compliance officer, accused the department of firing him after he raised issues with the vetting process. In Florida, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a “permanent legal resident alien” to be eligible to hold a license to work as an armed or unarmed security guard.

Smith alleged in the suit that pressures to meet work quotas resulted in employees “missing important details in applicants’ immigration/citizenship status documents” and failing to enforce notary policies.

The settlement was first reported by the website Politico.

Jennifer Meale, a spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department, said internal reviews were conducted into the matter.

“If illegal immigrants have falsified information to obtain a license, they will be subject to criminal prosecution,” she said. “The fact that investigations exist demonstrate we took these claims seriously, evaluated them thoroughly and took action where necessary.”

A preliminary internal review released by the department concluded the agency “appears to be in compliance with statutory requirements and no misconduct has been identified.”