Jun 5, 2015
Washington apple grower to pay $2.25 million in civil penalties

A Washington apple grower has been instructed to pay $2.25 million in civil penalties for hiring unauthorized workers.

The Tri-City Herald has the details:

Broetje Orchards LLC of Prescott, Washington, a major apple producer located east of the Tri-Cities, reached the settlement with ICE this week. The penalty amount is an ICE record for Washington state, the agency said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it audited the company’s records last summer and found that nearly 950 of its employees over several years were suspected of not being authorized to work in the United States.

Under the settlement, Broetje Orchards did not admit to any criminal wrongdoing. But the company did acknowledge that it continued to employ unauthorized workers after being advised they did not have permission to work in the United States.

The orchard has been instructed to pay the lump sum to ICE. After paying the fine, the news organization reported that Broetje will be “fully released from any further civil or criminal liability in this case.”


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