Increased Employment Compliance Inspections Cross-Border Businesses
San Diego, CA – The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) has increased and continues to expand the number of compliance inspections. The audits are designed to strengthen compliance with employment laws and focus on employers hiring unauthorized workers.
Through its worksite enforcement programs, ICE promotes national security, protects jobs for authorized candidates and helps ensure fair labor standards by investigating and prosecuting employers who hire unauthorized workers. ICE is the largest investigative agency in the Department of Homeland Security. One of ICE’s concerns is that unauthorized workers employed at facilities such as nuclear power plants, chemical plants, defense, airports and seaports can pose serious homeland security threats since they are vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists and other criminals.
ICE strongly encourages employers to use the E-Verify program. E-Verify is free to employers and provides an automated link to federal databases to help employers determine eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. Using E-Verify can help confirm that the information submitted on the I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Form, from a new hire is in fact true. Being compliant with employment laws stems from new hires filling out the I-9 correctly. The auditor will request to see the I-9 forms on file before beginning the auditing process. It is important to note that the I-9 has been mandatory for employees hired on or after November 6, 1986.
In response to these increased compliance inspections, ICE developed a program referred to as IMAGE (ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers) in order to educate and train employers to develop a more secure and stable workforce as well as enhance awareness of fraudulent documents. IMAGE is designed to help protect employers from hiring unauthorized workers knowingly and unknowingly.
Utilizing the E-Verify program and participating in the IMAGE program provides extra assurance that a company is in compliance with employment laws, therefore avoiding fines, criminal charges and even jail time. For more information about the ICE initiative call 1.866.DHS-2ICE or visit www.ice.gov.
Monica Hanono
910 Camino Del Mar, Suite F, Del Mar, CA 92014
Phone: (858) 794-7947 / Fax: (858) 794-7948
www.napsmexico.com
About North American Production Sharing, Inc. (NAPS)
North American Production Sharing, Inc. (NAPS) monitors developments in law enforcement in the US-Mexico border. NAPS is a premier shelter company in Mexico providing start-up and ongoing administration for companies manufacturing in Mexico. Since 1991, NAPS has managed Mexico manufacturing operations of companies from the US, Canada, France, Great Britain and Japan. For more info about NAPS and the shelter services in Mexico we offer please visit www.napsmexico.com.