As discussed in a previous post, the Trump Administration is committed to taking an aggressive stance on worksite enforcement actions. Last month the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) agency announced that in the first seven months of this fiscal year, worksite enforcement cases have already doubled the number of cases from all of last fiscal year.
ICE recently continued its mission close to home and raided Corso’s Flower and Garden Centers in Sandusky and Castalia, Ohio. The ICE raid resulted in the arrest of 114 suspected undocumented workers. This is reported to be the largest ICE raid in the region.
The investigation into Corso’s began in October of 2017 when authorities arrested an individual running a document forgery business. The arrest then led officials to several landscaping stores, including Corso’s, where they found irregularities in employee files.
ICE expects criminal charges involving identity theft and tax evasion to be filed against those arrested in the raid. ICE has also confirmed that the owner of Corso’s is under investigation, but no formal charges have been made. Corso’s released a statement stating that it “demands proper documentation from all those seeking employment at its facilities and also ensures that all employer taxes are properly paid.”
Don’t let your business be the next headline. ICE is demonstrating its commitment to increasing worksite enforcement actions, which can result in criminal and civil penalties. Call Graydon if you have questions or would like to take proactive measures to review your current compliance risks.
