Immigration Agents Target 7-Eleven Stores in Push to Punish Employers
According to ICE, federal agents served inspection notices to 7-Eleven franchises in California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington state and Washington, D. C.
Employees at two 7-Eleven stores on Staten Island said that immigration agents visited the stores on Wednesday.
In a statement, 7-Eleven Inc., based in Irving, Tex., distanced itself from the situation, saying
that the individual stores are franchises that belong to independent business owners, who “are solely responsible for their employees, including deciding who to hire and verifying their eligibility to work in the United States.”
“7-Eleven takes compliance with immigration laws seriously
and has terminated the franchise agreements of franchisees convicted of violating these laws,” the company said.
Federal immigration agents descended on dozens of 7-Eleven convenience stores across the country before daybreak on Wednesday, arresting undocumented workers
and demanding paperwork from managers, in what the Trump administration described as its largest enforcement operation against employers so far.
“Today’s actions send a strong message to U. S. businesses
that hire and employ an illegal work force: ICE will enforce the law, and if you are found to be breaking the law, you will be held accountable,” Thomas D. Homan, the acting director of the agency, said in a statement.
ICE called its Wednesday sweep a “follow-up” of a 2013 investigation
that resulted in the arrests of nine 7-Eleven franchise owners and managers on Long Island and in Virginia on charges of employing undocumented workers.