The immigration regulatory climate has been increasingly worrisome for employers since a Dec. 12, 2006 raid of six Swift meat-packing plants by federal agents seeking undocumented workers. More than a thousand Swift employees were arrested after a judge denied the beef and pork processor's request to stop the raid. One week later, Swift was blindsided by a class action lawsuit alleging that the company conspired to reduce its labor costs by routinely hiring undocumented immigrants to replace U.S. citizens and legal residents. While meat companies may be particularly at risk due to the relatively high possibility of illegal workers, employers in all industries should immediately review their I-9 form compliance and make any necessary changes in case federal agents come knocking.
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