The Immigration and Customs Enforcement call these encounters with small businesses owners I-9 audits. When they go to these businesses they are looking for I-9 employment eligibility forms. This basically means they are looking for immigrants that are here illegally working in the U.S.
I don’t see a reason for doing this. They aren’t taking anybodies job and they’re not hurting anyone. How many of you guys go outside and work in the fields for $ 8.90 an hour for a 50 hour week? I highly doubt any of you would jump and do the job because I know I wouldn’t. Some immigrant workers get paid up to $15 an hour and get paid vacation; I know I like the sound of that but still wouldn’t want to be outside all day. They get paid more then me and I work at a clothing place. Yes, I agree that their managers should help them get the right paper work done. I also think that the ICE should give the small business owners a heads up or a few months notice to make sure all their workers have what they need. Obliviously ICE knows where the immigrants are so why not give them a chance.
I just don’t understand, what’s the point of terminating most of your staff if no other American is jumping up for those jobs?
The blog article “The Removal” written by Zeniah Morgan on July 18, 2011, revealed interesting information, regarding some of the practices that are going on within some of our governmental agencies. Morgan informs us about The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), targeting small businesses to do I-9 audits. According to Morgan’s article, ICE has zeroed in on the small businesses for the past three year requesting from the employers to produce employment documentation on all of their employees. ICE is looking for illegal immigrants working in the United States that do not have employment eligibility documentation. The ICE agency was created in 2003, and its primary mission is to promote homeland security and public safety.
ReplyDeleteIn September of 2009, the CEO, of a fourth generation family owned business was audited. The company was found to have 25% of their employees were working in the U.S illegally. The illegal employees were terminated, and the CEO felt it was one of the worst days in his life, because some of the employees had been working for him over ten years. Morgan suggests that the ICE agency should give the small business owners a few months’ notice, so the employer can make sure the documentation required is in order. What happened to this company is unfortunate for everyone involved, but in reality, the owner of this business had six years notice to have his employees get the proper documentation in order.
The truth of the matter is, the majority of these employees do work long hard hours, usually out in the hot brutal sun, and most people do not want to do that kind of work. It is also doubtful that many people are out there competing for the type of jobs some of the illegal immigrants are willing to take. As difficult as it may be for all of us to understand the reasoning, and justification of what the ICE agency does, it is their job to perform these I-9 audits. When employers and employees choose not to comply with our governments regulations, it is a gamble they are willing to take.