Mar 4, 2013
Michigan ICE audits coming

Michigan growers got some bad news Feb. 20, during a labor meeting at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center in Traverse City, Mich.

Blair Babcock, an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told the audience there are more ICE audits coming.

“Sometime next month, a large number of audits are coming out,” he said. “I believe the number for west Michigan and northern Michigan is going to be about 25 to 30 that will be ordered by headquarters.

“Our mandate is we each work 200 hours of worksite enforcement,” Babcock said. “So people are going to be looking for worksite cases to open. Unfortunately, that means if you have a disgruntled employee who called in to our hotline, you’re on the list; a disgruntled competitor, you’re on the list. It’s still political season, so we’re going to be sent out with a large number of audits. The first batch aren’t targeted, (but) lead driven. There are going to be a lot more mandated audits and there are going to be agents looking for something to do, which should worry you more.”

A labor meeting for west Michigan growers is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, in Allendale, Mich. For more information, click here.


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