By Preston Huennekens
CIS Immigration Blog, January 31, 2018
. . .
Owner Mary Breen said that her business "sometimes has trouble finding seasonal workers" and attempted to use the H-2B visa program to hire temporary foreign workers.
DOL stated that she advertised positions for counter attendants that paid between $8.79 to $9.09 an hour. She then subsequently hired foreign workers at $10-$13 an hour. DOL stated that "American workers might have taken the jobs if the actual rates had been properly advertised."
Bread and Roses Bakery Inc. committed other H-2B violations as well. Although they advertised the positions as counter attendants, nine foreign workers were subsequently used as bakers and were paid below the prevailing wage. In addition, the bakery paid no overtime to 45 employees and refused to reimburse the H-2B workers for visa expenses normally covered by employers. Unrelated to the H-2B violations, the bakery violated hourly work restrictions for an employee under the age of 18.
. . .
https://cis.org/Huennekens/Maine-Bakery-Fined-95000-H2B-Violations
JOE LEGAL v LA RAZA JOSE ILLEGAL
Here’s how it breaks
down; will make you want to be an illegal!
ICE Audits 77 Northern California Businesses, Seeking Illegal Workers
Photo: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
77 Northern California businesses were required this week to comply with immigration audits of their workforces in what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has described as “protecting jobs for U.S. citizens” and other lawfully employed individuals.
Businesses received notices of inspection from ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents from Monday through Wednesday, ICE Spokesman James Schwab told Breitbart News. The notices gave each business three days from the date of being served to comply and produce I-9 documents.
Typically HSI takes the documents and conducts inspection for compliance. While the businesses were not initially identified, they were located within the San Francisco responsibility jurisdiction, including San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Jose.
Schwab said that HSI has increased enforcement activities to “enforce the laws that prohibit businesses from hiring illegal workers.” ICE Deputy Director Tom Homan has made known plans to increase the level of HSI worksite enforcement actions.
“HSI’s worksite enforcement strategy is focused on protecting jobs for U.S. citizens and others who are lawfully employed, eliminating unfair competitive advantages for companies that hire an illegal workforce and strengthening public safety and national security,” Schwab said via e-mail.
The HSI investigations are ongoing, and any resulting criminal charges or penalties will be coordinated with the Department of Justice.
Employers not in compliance with the law face civil fines. Those employers who have knowingly violated the law face potential criminal prosecution.
HSI conducted 1,360 I-9 audits in fiscal year 2017. Those audits resulted in 139 criminal arrests and 172 administrative arrests, according to ICE. Audits also led to judicial forfeiture, fines, and restitution of $97.6 million levied on businesses and $7.8 million in civil fines. One business, Asplundh Tree Experts, Co., was hit with the largest ever ICE case civil payment in U.S. history. The case against Asplundh was conducted over the course of six years.
HSI plans to continue conducting I-9 audits and imposing civil fines.
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
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