BOSTON — Eight Maine employers were fined a total of $78,977 during the 2012 federal budget year that ended Sept. 30 for a variety of immigration employment violations, following investigations and audits by the Homeland Security Investigations division of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The fines are the result of federal inspections of Form I-9 documents that employers maintain to affirm each employee’s identity and eligibility to legally work in the United States. Fines are imposed when irregularities are detected.
While the number of violations was up from six in 2011 to eight in 2012, the dollar amount of the fines levied in Maine in 2012 is down significantly from last year, when fines totaling $150,018 were levied against six Maine employers.
Employers fined in Maine for 2012, according to ICE, are:
• Artstock, Inc., aka Artist & Craftsman Supply Company, of Portland, $12,584.
• ASAP Taxi of Portland, $7,153.
• Farrens Harvesting and Land Leveling Inc. of Columbia, $9,490.
• King China, Inc. of Calais, $9,100.
• Maine International Labor, Inc. of West Gardiner, $13,898.50.
• My Tai, Inc. of Presque Isle, $13,744.
• New Fay Da Restaurant, Inc., aka Happy China Buffet, of Bangor, $11,220.
• Three Sons Lobster and Fish of Portland, $1,777.
During the 2012 period, there were 22 inspections in Maine of employers’ Form I-9 documents. In previous years in Maine, there were 23 inspections in 2011, 11 in 2010 and five in 2009. Those inspections resulted in $150,018 in fines against six employers in 2011, $7,013 in fines against two employers in 2010, and a fine of $9,753 against a single employer in 2009.
Why don’t they just make it a felony to hire these people in the first place? The only reason they come here is because some dirt bag will give them a job. No hiring of illegals, no immigration problem, period. Look at the name of one of the offenders. Maine International Labor, inc. What do you suppose they are up to? Introducing employers who thirst for dirt cheap labor to Juan and Pedro? We do not have an illegal immigration problem. We have a illegal hiring problem.
Both, I think.
It’s a crime to “knowingly” hire an illegal alien. Proving that the employer had “knowledge” can be difficult; illegal aliens often have pretty legitimate-looking false documents.
If Americans want to do something about the problems of illegal labor, we should contact our politicians and insist that they pass E-Verify and make it mandatory for all employers. E-Verify is a computer system which allows employers to quickly, cheaply and accurately determine whether new hires are eligible to work in the U.S. Picking up the phone and calling members of Congress or the White House takes about 5 minutes and there are “800” numbers. They do count to see how many people support or oppose an issue.
Maybe these companies will hire some Maine people now at a fair wage.
Most Mainers don’t want to work for cheap; and as far as I am concern you are all illegals except Native Americans
What a joke.
There are no full blooded Indians in Maine anymore either.
Yes there is; plus is does not matter if your “Full Blooded” or not; if you were raised on a reservation your Native.
If you were raised on a reservation it was your choice. Any Indian is free to live anywhere they wish. Everyone has had enough of the pity party. Besides, it was your “ancestors” and our “ancestors”, not you, and not us. Also, it is not “your” land, and never will be unless you wish to buy it.
It’s all my land, as a child did you choose to live at your town?
So when the Indians who migrated here or those who pushed other tribes off their land aren’t considered illegals?
We always live here! Yes when your ancestor pushed us off our land YOUR ancestors where considered illegals.