Employers who hire illegal immigrants face increased fines and possible jail time, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official has warned.

 

At a Chamber luncheon April 9, Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary for ICE, said the agency plans increased efforts against employers who hire illegal immigrants and attempt to tilt the playing field to their advantage.

 

The agency recently increased fines against employers who willfully violate immigration laws. Stronger regulations that would give ICE more authority regarding “no match” letters are pending in court. “No match” letters are generated by the Social Security Administration when an employee’s name and number do not match Social Security records.

 

Myers cited case studies of companies under investigation for hiring illegal aliens. Companies have a compelling reason to follow the law--they may face federal imprisonment for knowingly hiring illegal aliens . Myers also spoke about the E-verify program, which companies can use to check their human resources records.

 

A panel of experts in immigration law and policies discussed handling I-9 audits, processing “no match” letters, and the pros and cons of participating in E-verify. The panel also underscored the need for comprehensive reform to deal with current illegal immigrants in the U.S. and border security issues.

 

Panelists included Steve Ladik and David Berry of Berry Appleman & Leiden, LLP; and Pia Orrenius of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. The event sponsor was Berry Appleman & Leiden, LLP.

 

To view a video recording of the event, visit http://www.dallaschamber.org/news/video.aspx

 

The Chamber supports comprehensive immigration reform. For more information on the Chamber’s international legislative issues, contact Jane Edson at jedson@dallaschamber.org.