Employer Know Your Rights: ICE Raids, I-9 Audits & Succession Planning

Presented by:

Susan Felstiner & Julieanna Elegant, Small Business Legal Clinic

Denisse Guadarrama, Immigration Counseling Service

Michael Stout, Perkins Coie

Samuel Hernandez, K&L Gates

Disclaimer

The materials presented at this presentation are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use of and access to the materials and the presentation does not create an attorney-client relationship between you or any of the attorneys present at the presentation.

Topics

● Skit

● ICE Raids - What ICE May Do & What a Business

Should Do

● I-9 Audits

● What to Do if an Employee is Arrested

● How to plan for the detention (or other

incapacity) of a key person in your business

● Small Business Legal Clinic

Orden Administrativa Orden Judicial

“Cualquier abogado competente le dirá al sospechoso en términos inequívocos que no haga ninguna declaración a la policía bajo ninguna circunstancia.”

El Derecho de Guardar Silencio

¿Quien dijo esto?● Revolucionario● Anarquista● Un juez de la corte suprema de

los estados unidos

“Cualquier abogado competente le dirá al sospechoso en términos inequívocos que no haga ninguna declaración a la policía bajo ninguna circunstancia.”

El Derecho de Guardar Silencio

Justice Robert Jackson, juez de la corte suprema de los estados unidos.

Watts v. Indiana (1949)

Redadas: Acciones de Empleador1. Solicita y revise la orden judicial para ver qué áreas y cosas ICE tiene autorización de registrar.2. No consiente a un registro, aunque ICE tenga una orden judicial.3. No firme nada que no entienda sin un representante legal4. Documente los actos de ICE y seguirlos durante el registro.

a. Tome videos o notas.5. Póngase en contacto con su abogado

6. Enseñe a sus empleados...a. que no corranb. que no tengan autoridad de dejar que ICE entre a su lugar de trabajo sin una orden judicialc. que deban designar un área de espera para ICE hasta que puedan encontrarled. que no carguen documentos de su país de origen ni use documentos falsose. que lleven una tarjeta “conozca sus derechos” para mostrar a ICE si le paranf. que tengan el derecho de guardar silencio (pero no ustedes no pueden exigir que no hablen

con funcionarios de inmigración)i. Ellos no tienen que contestar ninguna pregunta con respecto al lugar de nacimiento,

estado de inmigración, o mostrar cualquier documento de inmigración.

Orden Administrativa Orden Judicial

“Any attorney worth his salt will tell a suspect in no uncertain terms to make no statement to the police under any circumstances.”

The Right to Remain Silent

Who said this?● Radical Revolutionary● Anarchist● United States Supreme Court Justice

“Any attorney worth his salt will tell a suspect in no uncertain terms to make no statement to the police under any circumstances.”

The Right to Remain Silent

Robert Jackson, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court

Watts v. Indiana (1949)

Raids: Action Items for Employers1. Ask for and review the judicial warrant to see which areas, items, or employees ICE has

authorization to search.2. Do not consent to a search, even if ICE has a judicial warrant.3. Do not sign anything you do not understand without an attorney.4. Document the actions by ICE and follow them during their search.

a. Take videos and notes (but do not interfere).5. Get in contact with your attorney.

6. Teach your employees...a. That they should not run.b. That they do not have the authority to let ICE enter without a judicial warrant.c. That they should designate a specific area for ICE to wait until they can find you.d. That they not carry documents from their country of origin or false documents.e. That they carry a “know your rights” card to present to ICE if ICE stops them.f. That they have the right to remain silent (but you may not prevent them from speaking to

ICE if they choose to do so)i. They do not have to answer any question about their place of birth, legal status, or

show any immigration documents.

Raid vs. I-9 Inspection

Who may conduct an I-9 Inspection?

● U.S. Department of Homeland Security/ICE● U.S. Department of Justice Immigrant and Employee Rights● U.S. Department of Labor

Does an I-9 Inspection require a warrant?

● Do not need a warrant/subpoena to inspect I-9s● Must provide at least 3 days notice (“Notice of Inspection”)

○ *** If they arrive without notice and demand immediate inspection, you may withhold consent

● May present a Warrant -- if they are conducting a raid with a warrant, and also seek to inspect I-9s, make sure I-9s are listed in the warrant

What can be inspected?

● I-9s & supporting documents retained for compliance

● Supporting documentation includes:○ Photocopies of I-9 documents stored with

I-9s ○ If stored electronically, associated audit

trails that show the actions performed within or on the system during a given period of time

○ Payroll records, employee lists, corporate documents

Where will the inspection take place?

● You must make I-9s available upon request at the location requested

● Officials will generally specify where they will conduct the I-9 inspection○ May be at the workplace○ Employer may be asked to bring form I-9s to ICE field office○ Employer may be able to arrange to meet at offsite storage○ May be asked to send in records in electronic or hard copy format

What are your responsibilities during an I-9 Inspection?

1. Retrieve and reproduce the I-9s and supporting documentation requested.

2. Provide the inspecting officer with appropriate hardware and software, personnel, and documentation necessary to inspect electronic documents.

3. Provide the inspecting officer, if requested, any reasonably available or obtainable electronic summary file(s), such as spreadsheets, containing all of the information fields on any electronically stored I-9s.

NOTE: E-Verify employers should provide E-Verify Case Detail Pages in addition to I-9s when they receive a request for inspection.

A Note on E-Verify

Employers who use E-Verify must:

● Review “tentative nonconfirmation” (TNC) responses with employee

and report back to SSA/DHS with details on resolving the TNC

● Permit DHS or SSA to make periodic visits to review E-Verify records

and interview employees

● Agree to governmental information sharing

● Print confirmation page and keep with I-9 file for same time period as

Form I-9 along with any other printouts from E-Verify system

What are they looking for?

● Correct use of I-9 forms○ Current form expires 8/31/2019

● I-9 forms properly filled out● Use of acceptable documents● Timeliness of completion

○ Employees must complete Section 1 and sign no later than first day of employment, but not before accepting a job offer

○ Employers must complete Section 2 within three business days of date of hire

What are they looking for?

● Re-verification processes○ If documentation of employment authorization has expired○ If employee is rehired within three years of date Form I-9 was originally

completed○ If employee changes his or her name (optional)

● File retention○ All current employees○ Former employees: 3 years from date of hire or 1 year after employment

terminates, whichever is later

Possible Results of an I-9 Inspection

● Notice of Inspection Results/Compliance Letter

● Notice of Suspect Documents● Notice of Discrepancies ● Notice of Violations ● Warning Notice ● Notice of Intent to Fine

Managing employees during an I-9 audit

● Be transparent about the process, let employees know you are undergoing an audit

● Provide employees with reasonable amount of time to correct discrepancies in their records

● Treat all employees the same manner during audit● If employees represented by union, inform the union of the

audit and determine whether CBA triggers any obligations● Communicate in writing with employees regarding the

information you need

I-9 Audit USCIS Webinars

● USCIS provides free Webinars for employers and employees○ I-9○ E-Verify○ myE-Verify○ Employee Rights (anti-discrimination provisions

of E-Verify and I-9)● Webinars are in English, and infrequently in Spanish

If a ICE Detains an Employee, How to Help

1. Get Information:

A. Who? Who made the arrest?

B. Where ? Where did they take them? Keep track of employees.

2. Convey information to the family.

3. Document all conversations with ICE officers.

If a ICE Detains an Employee

4. Help. Help detained employees hire experienced immigration attorneys.

National Immigration Legal Services Directory has a list at https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory/

5. Keep in touch with the family.

6. Consider paying the bond.

Be Prepared! What to Do Now

1. Compile your I-9 forms, separate from other personnel files.

2. Instruct your employees.3. Mark private areas of the business. 4. Create a succession plan.5. Retain an attorney to have at the ready.

BE PREPARED!Plan for Detention or Incapacity of a Key Person in your Business

Photo By Abductit (flickr)

Business Succession Planning Tools

Power of Attorney

vs.

Joint Bank Accounts

Establishing a Plan

Photo by Imagens Portal SESCSP (flickr)

Small Business Legal Clinic

https://law.lclark.edu/centers/small_business_legal_clinic/getting_help/

503-768-6940

sblc@lclark.edu

Portland, Salem, Woodburn Raid Rapid Response Network

1-888-622-1510

General KYR Videohttps://vimeo.com/207292703

Questions?

Thank you!