ICE raids 7-Eleven stores in immigration crackdown
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Federal agents on Wednesday raided nearly 100 7-Eleven stores in 17 states and Washington, D.C., in an immigration crackdown.
The raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in 21 arrests of workers believed to be in the country illegally, report the New York Times, the Associated Press, the Washington Post and Fox Business.
Agents asked employees for green cards and employers for hiring records.
Individual 7-Eleven stores are franchises owned by independent business owners who are responsible for hiring, said Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven in a statement. “7-Eleven takes compliance with immigration laws seriously and has terminated the franchise agreements of franchisees convicted of violating these laws.”
ICE said Wednesday’s action was a follow-up to 7-Eleven raids in 2013 that led to the arrests of nine franchise owners and managers for hiring people without authorization to work in this country. Eight of the defendants pleaded guilty and were required to pay more than $2.6 million in back wages.
Nebraska immigration lawyer Amy Peck told the AP that such raids don’t have much of an effect on illegal hiring.
“When these audits occur, the employees scatter in the wind and go down the street and work for somebody else,” she said. “You’re playing whack-a-mole.”
