ICE conducted a worksite enforcement operation at Texas Couplings LLC in Spring, Texas, detaining 20 undocumented migrants. They are now in custody at Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe. The operation stemmed from discrepancies found during an I-9 audit, part of ICE’s strategy to enforce employment laws.
Twenty illegal immigrants were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Texas Couplings LLC in Spring, Texas, as part of a workplace enforcement exercise. They were taken to the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe and are still being held there.
ICE officers found problems with employee paperwork during an I-9 audit, which led to the enforcement action. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division uses I-9 inspections as part of its strategy to find violations and make sure businesses follow federal employment rules.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 requires employers to ensure that their workers are who they say they are and that they are allowed to work. ICE is closely monitoring businesses thought to be hiring undocumented workers, using audits and civil fines to ensure compliance.
Many workers' families have lived in the U.S. for decades and were worried and unsure about their situation. A family friend who did not want to be named said, "My dad is 65 years old and has worked at Texas Couplings for 14 years." "We have no idea what will happen." It's scary.
The people who are being held are now in Conroe, and their families are asking when they will be sent back to their home countries. In the meantime, ICE keeps up its enforcement efforts, going after both companies and undocumented workers.
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