Immigration Officials Raid Bellingham Plant
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Contributed by: Nick Nevarez, Jr.
On February 24, 2009, the Obama administration executed the first worksite raid of his administration. In Bellingham, WA, immigration officers raided an engine remanufacturing plant in Bellingham, arrested 28 illegal immigrant workers and began processing them for deportation.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officials say the 25 men and three women — most of them from Mexico — may have gained employment at Yamato using phony social security numbers and other counterfeit identity documents.
Yamato Engine Specialists officials state that three of the workers arrested had been cleared as having legitimate documents during an employment records audit by ICE in 2005. With about 100 workers, Yamato specializes in rebuilding Japanese car engines and transmissions.
ICE investigators began looking into Yamato’s employment records following the arrest of an illegal criminal immigrant who had previously worked there.
What does this mean for employers? Due diligence should be taken when completing I-9s for all new hires and re-verifications. The Underwood Law Firm offers services including external I-9 audits and training to human resources personnel regarding the proper completion of I-9s. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Chuck Mallard or Nick Nevarez, Jr.
This column is published for informational purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice and is not intended to create an attorney client relationship. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author's law firm or its individual partners.
