New guidance in a Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) October 12 memo from Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calls to immediately halt immigration raids on workplaces and instead calls on enforcement agencies to focus their efforts on “unscrupulous employers who exploit the vulnerability of undocumented workers.” The memo is the first time this direction has been given to immigration agencies since Congress passed immigration reform measures in 1986.
The memo requests that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) develop and present plans in the next 60 days that would “alleviate or mitigate the fear that victims of, and witnesses to, labor trafficking and exploitation may have regarding their cooperation with law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of unscrupulous employers.”
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said,
“DHS has taken an important step to ensure that immigration enforcement supports, rather than interferes with, the effective enforcement of the laws meant to protect all workers in this country.”
During the Trump administration, ICE raids took a hardline stance against undocumented immigrants. In most instances, business owners and management avoided prosecution and punishment. Shifting the focus to employer compliance and companies who exploit vulnerable undocumented workers including illegal acts that include
• paying below minimum level wages
• unsafe working conditions
• human trafficking
• violating labor laws
Undocumented workers have rights. An experienced immigration lawyer can protect your rights and give you the best opportunity to stay in the United States.
If you have questions about your eligibility to remain in the United States, please contact our office. We can schedule an evaluation or attorney consultation to answer your immigration questions. Contact Godoy Law Office at 630-912-0322, our skilled immigration lawyers in Chicago, Lombard and Oak Brook can answer any questions about immigration and guide you through every step of the process.
Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties.
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