In a press release issued yesterday, ICE reported that Koch Foods of Cincinnati LLC paid a $536,046 fine as a result of a worksite enforcement investigation conducted by ICE in 2007. The investigation led to a raid of Koch’s Fairfield, Ohio, processing facility and the arrest of 161 undocumented workers in August 2007. ICE also executed a search warrant at Koch’s corporate offices in Chicago seizing relevant documents.

It’s important to note that the half a million dollar fine relates specifically to Form I-9 violations, which is consistent with ICE’s new approach to worksite enforcement. ICE issued the Notice of Intent to Fine on February 8, and the fine was paid on February 9 in Cleveland. Since the investigation, Koch Foods has apparently implemented new hiring procedures and an immigration compliance program to prevent future violations. The company is now also using E-Verify.

In announcing this fine, 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.