New York City Immigration Lawyer. NYC immigration lawyer assisting with K-1 fiancee visas, EB 1-A Extraordinary Abilities Visa, EB 1-2 Outstanding Researchers and Professors Visa, and all other visas, green cards, naturalization and citizenship. Gafner Law Firm is a full service NYC immigration law firm serving clients in Manhattan, Staten Island, Brookyln, the Bronx, Queens, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County, Yonkers, Astoria, Greenpoint, Murray Hill, Bushwick, Park Slope, Bay Ridge, Brighton Beach, Brownsville, Corona, Harlem, SoHo, Tribeca, Longwood, Hunts Point, Flatbush, Brooklyn Heights, Wall Street, Jersey City and from throughout the world. » I-9 Compliance

I-9 Audits Fines Increase 1000% In Two Years

Chris Gafner — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:00:09 +0000

In the last two years the amount of fines that have been levied against American employers who have not complied with I-9 requirements have risen from .7 million to 7 million dollars. The amount of I-9 fines is expected to continue to rise as the number of company audits also continue to rise. Last year, ICE conducted audits on 2,740 companies, nearly twice as many as the previous year.

These I-9 audits have been brought against big and small companies alike, including clothing companies, farmers, factories, restaurants, and construction companies. If you are a company that is going willy nilly with your I-9 requirements – perk up now, or risk paying out big in the near future. Contact Gafner Law Firm to see whether your company is complying with its I-9 and other immigration enforcement requirements.

Abercrombie & Fitch I-9 Mistakes Result in $1 Million Fine

Chris Gafner — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 09:57:59 +0000

It was recently announced that the clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch has been fined over $1 million for I-9 irregularities. Put differently, the fine appears to be due to the company’s mistakes in collecting and maintaining its I-9 documentation. The Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency even stated that it had not found any instances where the company had knowingly hired a non-authorized worker.

Is your company making mistakes on its I-9 forms? If you don’t know, can you afford a fine that big?

ICE Set To Issue 500 Employer Audits in Next Week

Chris Gafner — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:37:35 +0000

It is being reported that the Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency is set to issue 500 employer audits in the next week. Employer audits are the in vogue method for the government to ensure employers are properly monitoring their new hires through I-9 and e-verification. Employers must verify that each new hire is authorized to work in the United States. Employers who fail to keep proper records face the possibility of civil fines and even criminal charges.

ICE Orders I-9 Inspection for 180 Lucky Companies in Southeast

Chris Gafner — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:37:52 +0000

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency has recently ordered I-9 inspections on 180 companies located in the Southeast. These companies are being requested to provide documentation showing that their employees are authorized to work in the United States. Additionally, the inspections will examine whether a company has properly collected and maintained the proper paperwork. Failure to maintain adequate records could result in fines being levied against those companies. There is no word how these 180 companies were selected.

If you would like to ensure that your company has properly maintained its I-9 documentation, please contact the firm to discuss what steps can be taken.

No Americans Asking For Agricultural Jobs Filled By Immigrants

Chris Gafner — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:51:53 +0000

Massive layoffs are occurring in Washington State as many agricultural employers in the region are receiving letters from the U.S. government questioning the employment eligibility of some of their workers. One such employer, Glebber Farms has laid off over 550 employees.

Given the large number of unemployed workers in the region, one would expect many Americans would come running to ask for a chance to work. However, as one agricultural employer commented, “Americans don’t stop by and ask for jobs right now. There is a 10 percent unemployment rate. And I’ve not had a single U.S. American stop by and ask for a job.”

So, now that agricultural employers have work to do and no workers to do it…who exactly is benefiting???

Koch Food Fined $536,000 After Immigration Raid

Chris Gafner — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:46:39 +0000

It is being reported that Koch Food has agreed to pay a fine of $536,000 following a 2007 ICE raid where 161 of its employees were found to be unauthorized to work. As reported by the Associated Press, Koch Foods states that it did not knowingly hire the unauthorized workers. Instead, the fines are because the company failed to adequately complete employment verification forms.

ICE Enforcement Results in Arrest of Workers at New England Patriot’s Gillette Stadium?

Chris Gafner — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:44:46 +0000

According to the Boston Globe’s Boston.com, dozens of the stadium’s would-be snow removers were detained on Wednesday after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency pulled over a van and detained numerous individuals thought to be unauthorized workers. The enforcement action has caused great concern in the Guatemalan immigrant population of Boston as those who were detained must demonstrate their legal right to be in the United States or face deportation.

Meanwhile, the operators of Gillette Stadium are passing any blame of possible wrongdoing onto the company that it subcontracted to remove the snow from the stadium. A spokesperson for the Patriots and Gilette Stadium is quoted as saying, “We go through a vendor and pay for a workforce to provide a service,’’ he said. “We expect them to vet all employees.’’ The spokesperson may want to do research about a certain big box retail store chain that claimed the same thing when its cleaning subcontractors were found to be hiring undocumented workers.

Immigration Inquiry Ends After Company Agrees To Pay $4.5 Million

Chris Gafner — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:04:28 +0000

by Svilen.milev

The Federal Government agreed to stop its immigration inquiry into Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation after the company agreed to pay the government $4.5 million dollars over three years and to use more stringent hiring standards. The corporation, a chicken processor, has admitted no criminal or civil wrongdoing. However, the business is just now emerging from bankruptcy and the payment will be weighing down the corporation’s profits until itis paid off.

ICE Workforce Enforcement in New York

Chris Gafner — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:26:40 +0000

Yesterday, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) arrested 12 employees of Empire Warehouse Solutions for forging false social security cards and green cards. Empire Warehouse Solutions provides services at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, NY. It is unclear in the article whether the company will face civil or criminal charges.

Detroit Firm Faces $40,000 Fine after I-9 Audit

Chris Gafner — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:03:08 +0000

The AP is reporting that Detroit firm Applied Plastic Products is facing a $41,360 fine because of its failure to properly complete nearly 100 I-9 forms for employee verification. The fine was announced after Immigration & Customs Enforcement officials performed an I-9 audit in March 2009.

What is significant about this fine is that there is no allegations of fraud or of knowingly hiring unauthorized workers. The company is being fined because it failed to properly complete the I-9 requirements that the government places on companies hiring new employees.

If you are a company in need of creating, or maintaining, a I-9 compliance policy, please contact Gafner Law Firm.

ICE To Review 1000 Companies For I-9 Compliance

Chris Gafner — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:26:33 +0000

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced yesterday that it will investigate 1000 additional companies for I-9 compliance. This announcement comes on the heels of a May announcement when it announced that it would investigate 500 companies. The investigation will consist of an I-9 audit of the company’s records. The audit is meant to ensure that each company has properly documented each employee and has adequately ensured that all employees are eligible to work. Failure to properly maintain an I-9 compliance system may result in civil fines for an offending company. To learn more about your company’s responsibilities for maintaining I-9 compliance documentation, please contact Gafner Law Firm.