In the wake of the new minimum wage law passed earlier this month, eight immigrant workers have filed a lawsuit against Caribbean Car Wash Inc. in Elizabeth, New Jersey (CCW), alleging CCW paid them less than $5 per hour for many years and denied them overtime because of their immigration status, or lack thereof. The claim, brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and New Jersey Wage READ MORE READ MORE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased its enforcement actions related to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Occupational Practical Training (STEM OPT) Program. Specifically, ICE’s random site inspections at STEM OPT program sponsor sites, have become increasingly intrusive and investigatory in nature. The purposes of these inspections are to ensure that employers are not deviating from any part of the training plan, verify that a STEM READ MORE READ MORE
Last night, the Old Bridge Township Council adopted legislation authorizing the township’s attorney to investigate and take legal action against New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration challenging the “Immigrant Rights Directive” that limits police cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and essentially deems New Jersey a sanctuary state. The Council Resolution states that Gov. Murphy and the New Jersey Assembly have enacted regulations and statutes READ MORE READ MORE
In a massive worksite immigration operation early Wednesday, over 600 federal immigration agents converged on seven Mississippi food manufacturing and processing facilities to serve search warrants as part of an ongoing worksite criminal investigation. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized dozens of boxes of business records and arrested 680 individuals who READ MORE READ MORE
Apparently, in response to New Jersey’s sanctuary state policies, the Department of Homeland Security (the Department) has increased the number of worksite investigations and inspections. While the Department has not released inspection numbers since December of 2018, reports from those participating in immigration compliance, human resource departments, and other industry leaders indicate that New Jersey could see a nearly 1000% increase in the number of Notices of READ MORE READ MORE
