Earlier this week, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and John Morton, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), released immigration enforcement statistics that have been achieved under the Obama administration. In their report, the two directors state that the Obama administration has imposed approximately $50 million in fines/sanctions for worksite enforcement violations. Secretary Napolitano also stressed that the Obama administration would continue to enforce immigration laws to employers through I-9 audits, fines, debarments and other enforcement strategies.
"This administration has focused on enforcing our immigration laws in a smart, effective manner that prioritizes public safety and national security and holds employers accountable who knowingly and repeatedly break the law," said Secretary Napolitano. "Our approach has yielded historic results, removing more convicted criminal aliens than ever before and issuing more financial sanctions on employers who knowingly and repeatedly violate immigration law than during the entire previous administration."
Key statistics presented include the following:
- 180 owners, employers, managers and/or supervisors were criminally charged by ICE in FY 2010
- ICE conducted over 2,200 I-9 audits in FY 2010
- 97 businesses and 49 people were debarred by ICE in FY 2010
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