The new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said today he wants to emphasize public engagement, transparency and information technology modernization of the immigration agency during his term.

To meet those goals, Alejandro Mayorkas said he has created a new Office of Public Engagement and is debuting a new, interactive Web site Sept. 22 that will allow for public feedback on agency policy and proposals. The updated Web site also will allow for greater ease of use and more access to information about pending requests and applications.

USCIS’ involvement with community stakeholders “should be more of a collaborative effort, engaged and interactive,” Mayorkas said. “We want to have the community involved at a level where we can understand what we are doing well — and what we are doing wrong.”

Another high priority is moving forward on implementing the next stages of the USCIS’ information technology transformation project, which will digitize the agency’s paper-based records systems, Mayorkas said. The project was started in 2005 and is expected to cost more than $500 million.

Mayorkas, a Cuban immigrant, was sworn in Aug. 24 to head the nation’s immigration and naturalization systems. He previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California and was a partner at the O’Melveny and Myers law firm.

Our firm participated in the webinar (one of many scheduled through the month of September) today, and we were pleasantly surprised — it’s terrific and we highly recommend it.  They walk you through their presentation and also walk you through the actual E-Verify log on and inquiry process.  They answered questions through email and also opened up for a 1/2 hour of live Q&A — very well organized.  For information by telephone, you can call:  888 464.4218.  We will shortly be receiving a transcript of Q&A and links to their presentation and we will share these when received.

If you are interested in setting up a presentation for your organization, or interested in scheduling a live speaker for an event or conference, you can do so by calling the above telephone number or emailing:  E-Verify@dhs.gov

In the meantime, we wanted to share a few resources that we think are worthy, as follows:

1)  Where can you find the law:  Federal Register:  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-26904.pdf

2)  The link to the DHS webpage for E-Verify

3)  FAQ Link

4)  Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Information

5)  How do I complete Form I-9?  http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/E3eng.pdf

6)  USCIS Supplemental Guide 9/8/09 for Federal Contractors

Lastly, there is a very interesting article on this topic in today’s Wall Street Journal that we link to.

We will continue to provide any and all information and resources that we feel are informative on this topic.

In a Wall Street Journal article from August 18th, the new ICE Chief, John Morton, said that the agency is set to increase the number of companies it will audit and systematically impose fines on violators. Violations could also lead to criminal charges, he said.

On July 1, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced an audit of employers to verify whether their employees were eligible to work.  Mr. Morton said that 654 companies are currently being audited and that many more employers will be notified soon that they also will be under scrutiny by the government.

“You are going to see audits regularly and on a larger scale,” Mr. Morton said during a two-day visit to southern California, his first since being appointed four months ago. “You will see the resuscitation of…civil fines.”

If you have not addressed your I-9 issues, we would strongly urge you to do so.  Our Employer Compliance Unit is up to speed on the law, can develop a compliance program that is tailored to your needs and your industry; we can perform onsite or offsite audits and training and can recommend electronic I-9 compliance and reporting systems with optional E-Verify interface if you’re ready to go paperless.

We link to our solutions and services.

Michigan to consider E-Verify bills on August 19th that would require employers in Michigan to use E-Verify.  H.R. 4355 would require contractors and sub-contractors to utilize the E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of new employees.  H.R. 4969 would prohibit employment agencies from referring candidates to public agencies without first verifyig the candidate’s employment eligibility through E-Verify.

Two Michigan counties have already approved mandates for local contractors.

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Colorado to adopt employment verification regulations: HB 06S-1017) requires that all public and private employers who transact business in Colorado affirm, in written or electronic copy, that it has (1) examined the legal work status of the new employee; (2) retained file copies of the employee’s identification and work authorization documents; (3) not altered or falsified the documents presented by the employee; and (4) not knowingly hired an unauthorized foreign worker.  The employer must make the affirmation within 20 days after hiring the new employee.  The proposed rules include all of the provisions listed above while also defining in detail various audit procedures and applicable fines for noncompliance.

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DHS to publish a proposal to rescind Social Security No-Match: In tomorrow’s proposal, DHS outlines the basis for its policy change, including a detailed description of E-Verify improvements, new worksite enforcement and community outreach efforts that it will be implementing in the near future. In particular, DHS’s worksite enforcement strategy now includes a restructured process for worksite administrative fines, a debarment policy that prevents employers from receiving Federal contracts when they are in violation of worksite laws, and a Document and Benefit Fraud Task Forces (DBFTF) cooperative to combat the vulnerabilities exploited by identity and document fraud organizations.  We link to the Federal Register rule.  Comments are accepted for 30 days.

Shipley Do-Nut Flour and Supply Company Inc. was sentenced Friday to be under court supervision for a period of three years, pay a criminal fine of $250,000 and forfeit $1.334 million to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for harboring illegal aliens. ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton and U.S. Attorney Tim Johnson made the announcement.

We link to the News Release

…Considering I-9 electronic reporting and tracking?  Then join us on 7/29/09 for a free audio conference with one of the leading I-9 electronic storage providers and Inc.500 winner, along with a member of our Employer Compliance team.

For the Event Announcement:  http://www.docstoc.com/docs/8780911/i-9-Event-Announcement
Tor RSVP:  info@immigrationsolution.net

We look forward to meeting up with you!

Every organization needs to conduct an annual I-9 audit through a qualified USCIS immigration attorney.  Contact Immigration Solutions today for you I-9 needs and do a “pre-audit” audit before ICE knocks on your door.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/8232170/Krispy-Kreme-Fined-40K

Advocates for immigration reform will be rallying the day after Inauguration Day by planning a large march in San Jose.

Organizers for the march said they want the new president to listen to the voices of people who beg for fair and humane immigration laws.

“The purpose of the march is first to remind President Obama that one key reason he got elected was because of the Latino immigrant vote,” said Cesar Juarez, a march organizer.

Demonstrators will be demanding a moratorium on raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and other changes.

The march is scheduled to start in East San Jose and end at City Hall.

To see more about how the immigration reform advocates will get Obama’s attention:
Listen to this report from KCBS.com

IFCO Systems North America, the largest pallet management services company in the U.S., headquartered in Houston, Texas, has agreed to pay $20.7 million in civil forfeitures and penalties over four years after employing undocumented workers at its plants.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the large worksite enforcement operation that led to the discovery. The settlement amount includes $2.6 million in back pay and penalties relating to IFCO’s overtime violations with respect to 1,700 of its pallet workers. IFCO is also paying $18.1 million in civil forfeitures that will be available to support future law enforcement activities.

For more information on the largest settlement ever in a worksite enforcement case:
Read this press release from ICE

With a new political party preparing to take over the White House, one aspect of the Bush administration has decided to leave the party. Julie L. Myers, head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement left her post, effective Nov. 15.

Myers, 39, did not say if she planned to re-enter the private practice after spending the last 12 years in government posts. Myers, niece of former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Richard B. Myers, served as Chertoff’s chief of staff when he lead the Justice Department’s criminal division. She was chosen to help oversee ICE in 2006 when the Bush administration failed in an immigration overhaul push.

She never was the ‘perfect’ choice, as numerous concerns about her youth and lack of executive and immigration experience left senators delaying her appointment to the office. She was finally confirmed for the post last December.

For more information about the Myers leaving her post:
Read this article from the Washington Post