Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the branch of the Department of Homeland Security charged with enforcing the immigration laws in the interior of the United States, recently announced that it has stepped up the rate of its worksite enforcement efforts in order to “instill a culture of compliance.”
In a July 24, 2018 statement, ICE announced that in the first 9 months of FY 2018, it had conducted nearly 6100 worksite investigations, a more than 350% increase compared to the entirety of FY 2017. It also arrested 1659 employers during the same period, compared to 311 in all of FY 2017.
Maine employers should ensure that they are fully complying with the I-9 requirements, but at the same time, are not discriminating against prospective employees due to national origin or documentation presented. Maine employers who need a refresher on this area of the law should speak with their immigration counsel for legal advice, or can contact MeBIC.