Immigration and Firm News

It still surprises me 24 years after enactment, how many employers still don't know about their I-9 obligations under the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986. Since then, employers are required to complete Form I-9s documenting the work permission status of employees hired after November 6, 1986, including U.S. citizens. Even among employers who know of their I-9 obligations, many still do not fully understand the scope of the I-9 process and record keeping requirements; nor the … [Read more...]

As part of its efforts to be more transparent and engage the public, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) held a stakeholders meeting this week about making changes to the Form I-9 or the Employment Eligibility Verification form. Form I-9 is required to be used by all employers to document the work permission status of new hires. This has been the law since 1986. But, what should be a simple to use one-page form, continues to confound employers who are increasingly being warned, … [Read more...]

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal heard oral argument today in USA v. Arizona, which was broadcast live on C-SPAN.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClSk_OrHSIM   The three judge panel consisted of Judge Richard A. Paez, Judge Carlos T. Bea and Judge John T. Noonan, Jr. Representing the State of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer was John J. Bouma. Representing the U.S. was U.S. Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was also present. There were protests and … [Read more...]

An NPR story yesterday, Prison Economies Help Drive Ariz. Immigration Law, highlights the role of the private prison business in the development of Arizona's anti-immigrant bill, SB 1070, portions of which are currently being litigated in the federal court. Oral argument in the case is scheduled for Monday, November 1, 2010 as described in an earlier post, "Arizona Immigration Cases Set for Oral Argument." Immigration practitioners have known for years about the rapid growth of the private … [Read more...]

In an interesting case, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Abercrombie & Fitch agreed to a $1,047,110 settlement for I-9 technical violations at Abercrombie & Fitch's Michigan retail stores. The ICE audit began in 2008. The company was not found to have knowingly hired unauthorized immigrants, but its electronic I-9 system was apparently found to have many problems. An ICE representative said: "We are pleased to see Abercrombie working diligently to complete the … [Read more...]

KnoxNews.com out of Tennessee reports an August 27, 2010 AP news item indicating that 27 of 820 people scooped up by the state wildlife department for fishing without a license, and who also lacked identification, turned out to be immigrants who were turned over to Davidson County Jail. The Jail then turned them over to US Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) for deportation. Davidson County is one of many jurisdictions across the country that has signed a "287(g)" agreement with ICE. … [Read more...]