Earlier this week, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), and John Morton, Director of U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE), released immigration enforcement
statistics that have been achieved under the Obama administration. In
their report, the two directors state that the Obama administration has
imposed approximately $50 million in fines/sanctions for worksite
enforcement violations. Secretary Napolitano also stressed that the
Obama administration would continue to enforce immigration laws to
employers through I-9 audits, fines, debarments and other enforcement
strategies.
“This administration has focused on enforcing our immigration laws in a
smart, effective manner that prioritizes public safety and national
security and holds employers accountable who knowingly and repeatedly
break the law,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Our approach has yielded
historic results, removing more convicted criminal aliens than ever
before and issuing more financial sanctions on employers who knowingly
and repeatedly violate immigration law than during the entire previous
administration.”
Key statistics presented include the following:
1) 180 owners, employers, managers and/or supervisors were criminally charged by ICE in FY 2010
2) ICE conducted over 2,200 I-9 audits in FY 2010
3) 97 businesses and 49 people were debarred by ICE in FY 2010
