On the Immigration Enforcement Audits Taking Place in Northern California

Following is a statement from Christine Owens, Executive Director, National Employment Law Project:

“The federal government’s I-9 enforcement audits conducted yesterday in Northern California, which targeted 77 employers, are really about retaliating against communities that dare to stand up for immigrants.

“The Trump administration has made clear that it will push back against sanctuary policies, such as California’s new Immigrant Worker Protection Act, which requires employers to ask ICE agents for a judicial warrant when agents try to enter the private areas of a business, and to inform their workers when an I-9 audit is taking place.

“ICE’s message about holding employers who violate immigration laws accountable rings hollow when you consider that President Trump recently commuted the 27-year prison sentence of Sholom Rubashkin, who owned and operated a meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, that faced one of the largest workplace immigration raids in our history and resulted in the detention of nearly 400 undocumented workers.

“Widespread immigration raids and workplace immigration enforcement are highly disruptive for businesses and workers, and history tells us that this type of enforcement is often done without respecting individuals’ constitutional rights. However, both workers and employers can prepare for immigration enforcement actions in order to safeguard their rights. NELP has put together a guide for employers on their rights and responsibilities when faced with an immigration raid or I-9 audit.”

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