When companies hire large numbers of illegal immigrants, this can have the effect of bringing down wages for employees who are legally authorized to be employed in the country. The practice of knowingly hiring illegal immigrants is also illegal, and when it is done in a systematic, large-scale way, it can also violate the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly known as RICO.
Recently, legal employees of large employers have started fighting back against the practice of hiring illegal immigrants. In a number of recent cases, courts have allowed these claims to go forward under RICO as class actions. For example, in the cases of Trollinger v. Tyson Foods, Inc. and Williams v. Mohawk Industries, Inc., federal appellate courts have approved of such claims. In such cases, the legal employees seek to recover the higher wages they would have earned if their employers had not hired illegal immigrants.
These types of cases are necessary, in party, because the government does not always have the resources, or the political willingness, to go after employers who violate the law by hiring illegal immigrants. In addition, it is often the legal employees of the companies who are the people who know about and are able to bring to light a company's unlawful practice of hiring illegal immigrants. And, of course, it is the legal employees who are the ones who suffer the most direct harm.
If you are a current or former employee of a company that hired illegal immigrants, then you may have valuable legal claims, and you way wish to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in this area of the law.
Hiring Illegal Immigrant Articles
Owners of Businesses that Hire Illegal Immigrants ArrestedBusinesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants are increasingly finding themselves as defendants in lawsuits. In addition to suits filed by the government, these companies are now facing claims from employees, alleging the businesses drive down wages by hiring illegal immigrants, and from competitors, who claim the practices violate unfair-competition laws. At the same time, owners and managers are being arrested for hiring undocumented workers.
Governments Crack Down on Companies that Hire Illegal Immigrants
Governments With each day that passes more and more governments are passing laws to crack down on companies that hire illegal immigrants. At the same time, employees are filing their own lawsuits alleging that their employers' illegal practices are causing wages to drop drastically.
Hiring Illegal Immigrants a Common Practice
Many workers who are legally hired by companies are becoming frustrated by employers who insist on hiring illegal immigrants, even though the practice is punishable by jail time.
Hiring Illegal Immigrants in the News
JUL-03-07: Arizona's governor has signed a bill that sets out penalties for businesses that hire illegal immigrants. A first offence would result in a business license suspension while a second offence would result in a permanent business license revocation. [TIMES: HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS]JUN-22-07: Five more illegal immigrants were found working on the same dairy farm where 13 illegal immigrants were seized in May. Officials believe more illegal immigrants were hired to replace those who were seized. [TIMES: HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS]
JUN-21-07: Federal agents have arrested 81 suspected illegal immigrants who were working at Iridium Industries Inc.'s Artube division. The raid was focused on a temp agency that supplied workers for the plant, rather than on the plant itself. [REGISTER: HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS]
JUN-21-07: Arizona legislators approved a bill that would punish employers who hire illegal immigrants by suspending or revoking their government licenses. First time offenders would be put on probation for three years while second-time offenders would have their licenses permanently revoked. [CITIZEN: HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS]
JUN-15-07: Dunkin Donuts has taken matters into its own hands, asking a court to terminate the franchise agreement with two stores alleging that the owners knowingly hired illegal immigrants. One research organization estimates that there are 11.2 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. [STAR-LEDGER: HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS]
JUN-13-07: Federal agents raided a Fresh Del Monte Produce plant in Portland and three managers were charged with knowingly hiring illegal workers. Of 175 workers at the plant the day of the raid only around a dozen were considered legal employees. [TIMES: HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS]
JUN-11-07: A new Tennessee bill would allow the state to revoke the business license of any company that knowingly hired illegal immigrants. For a first offence, the company will lose its license until it no longer has illegal immigrants as employees. [KNOX NEWS: HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS]
MAY-27-07: Lawsuits against Mohawk, a flooring company, and Swift & Co., a meat processor, allege the companies knowingly hired illegal immigrants. The suit against Mohawk seeks class action status. [JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION]
