U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a worksite enforcement operation in Jackson, Mississippi, resulting in the arrest of seven individuals from Guatemala and El Salvador. The arrests followed a traffic stop by state police on February 26, where two vehicles were found to be occupied by these individuals.
The detainees were employed by 3 J Underground LLC, a company based in Byhalia that installs fiber optic cables for telecommunications services. During the incident, the company's owner, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and another employee, a lawful permanent resident from El Salvador, arrived at the scene. When questioned about his hiring practices, the owner stated he did not require employees to complete any paperwork upon employment.
ICE special agents informed the business owner of federal requirements mandating employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of their hires through Form I-9 and supporting documents. The agency uses I-9 inspections as part of its strategy to ensure compliance with U.S. employment laws.
According to ICE's statement: "Under federal law, employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire." ICE further explained that inspections are critical tools for enforcing compliance with these laws.
The agency's worksite enforcement strategy also includes investigating other potential criminal activities such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation, or substandard wage and working conditions.
