Audit: 43 businesses have illegal staff (Arizona Republic)

Audit: 43 businesses have illegal staff
by Max Jarman - Apr. 23, 2010 05:33 PM
The Arizona Republic

More than one-half of the Arizona businesses that have had their workforces audited by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents since July 2009 have been found to have illegal workers on their payrolls.

Immigration department spokeswoman Virginia Kice said that 43 of the 84 companies screened in two rounds of audits have been sent letters listing employees whose employment eligibility is suspect.

The agency's policy is not to name the companies with illegal employees unless they are disciplined with a fine or other measure.

Besides violation notices, two of the 43 companies with illegal workers were informed of pending fines.

In its investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents audited the I-9 forms of 17,194 Arizona employees.

Kice would not say how many were found to have suspect documentation, but nationally the number is running about 18 percent. That would indicate that about 3,000 of the screened workers had suspect documents.

Employers are required to verify their employee's eligibility to work via an I-9 form that they must keep and turn over to immigration officials for inspection on request.

Only citizens and non-citizens with employment-authorization documents are allowed to hold jobs in the United States. Employers are required to terminate those employees found to be working illegally.

"If you continue to employ these individuals without valid documentation, you may be subject to a civil money penalty ranging from $375 to $3,200 per unauthorized alien for a first violation," the letters read.

On April 13 and 14, Pro's Ranch Markets in Phoenix fired about 300 illegal workers, or 20 percent of its workforce, who were identified by an audit of its I-9 employment verification forms.

The company said the employees gave it forged or falsified work documents when they were hired.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents announced 650 audits, including 40 in Arizona in July and followed up with an additional 1,000, including about 44 in Arizona in November.