In a press release issued yesterday, ICE is reporting that George’s Processing Inc., a southwest Missouri poultry-processing plant, has paid a $450,000 administrative fine as a result of a worksite enforcement investigation conducted by ICE in 2007. As part of the settlement agreement, George’s has agreed to train its human resource managers and employees on proper Form I-9 procedures, and to establish a compliance program to ensure that its hiring and employment practices are in order.

The May 2007 enforcement action at George’s poultry plant led to administrative arrests of 136 undocumented workers, some of whom were later prosecuted for various immigration violations, including falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. Two of the company’s hiring personnel were subsequently convicted of criminal charges for knowingly hiring the undocumented workers.

In announcing this settlement, ICE reminded employers that they have implemented a new, comprehensive strategy to reduce the demand for unauthorized employment by focusing their resources on auditing and investigating employers who are suspected of cultivating and hiring undocumented workers. In addition, ICE has also been increasing the number of random Form I-9 audits on all employers, regardless of size or industry. For more information on these initiatives, please browse our blog posts on ICE enforcement.