I-9 Fines Handed Down in New England
July 22nd, 2011 § 1 Comment
On July 21, 2011, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a press release containing statistics for the fines related to I-9 form violations in New England. In this fiscal year, 14 New England employers have been fined for various violations that resulted in the hiring of undocumented employees.
Employers who have been fined include:
- Jasper Wyman & Son of Milbridge, Maine, a blueberry grower, who settled with the government for $118,000;
- Commercial Cleaning Service of Allston, Mass., who was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine; and
- D’Agostino Associates, Inc. of Newton, Mass., a masonry contractor, who paid a $22,792 fine.
From October 1, 2011 through May 24, 2011, the New England regional ICE office served 41 notices of inspection and 12 final orders. This is a notable increase from the 2010 fiscal year. Nationally, ICE has initiated Form I-9 inspections against nearly 4,000 businesses from fiscal year 2009 to date, which has resulted in fines of nearly $7 million.
“These settlements serve as a reminder to employers that ICE will continue to hold them accountable for hiring and maintaining a legal and compliant workforce,” said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Boston. “We encourage companies to take the employment verification process seriously.”
What’s the solution? Contact us to conduct a partial or full audit to see how you are managing your I-9s.
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