What are the new civil fines against employers for immigration violations?
USCIS recently announced higher civil fines which can be assessed against employers who violate federal immigration laws, effective March 27, 2008. Employers may be fined under the new regulations for knowingly employing unauthorized aliens or other violations including failure to comply with the requirements relating to employment eligibility forms. The minimum penalty for the knowing employment of an unauthorized alien increased to $375. Some of the higher civil penalties increased by $1,000; for example, the maximum penalty for a first violation increased from $2,200 to $3,200. These penalties are assessed on a per-alien basis; therefore, it is critical that the proper work authorization is verified prior to hiring any new employee.
