Immigration Enforcement Concerns?
Steps to Prepare and Protect Your Workplace
On day one, President Trump signed many executive orders attempting to change course from the Biden Administration. The new administration is prioritizing immigration reform, leading to rumors of raids and mass deportations in the weeks ahead. While that hasn’t happened yet, these rumors can create a sense of fear in the immigrant community. Whether or not you have undocumented workers at your establishment, you can take steps to prepare for an I-9 Audit, learn your rights as an employer, and help your employees understand their rights.
The National Restaurant Association and the Restaurant Law Center have prepared a quick memo for operators, which can be found here. They are also hosting a webinar on February 10th at 2 pm ET, registration and details can be found here.
To review your rights as a business owner, here is a document from the American Immigration Lawyers Association – ICE Worksite Raid: Employer Rights and Responsibilities.
The National Immigration Law Center has a document – What to do if Immigration Comes To Your Workplace?
The City of New York also has a document to share with your employees – Know Your Rights with ICE. You may also reference this page for information in other languages. There is also a detailed digital booklet and Spanish version here.
The New York State Restaurant Association and our partners at the National Restaurant Association are monitoring the situation closely and will update you as the issue develops.