Immigration Crackdown on Illegal Labor Intensifies

These are audits of I-9 forms, which federal law requires that all employers obtain from every employee to verify their eligibilty to legally work in the U.S. The audits have become a primary tool of the Obama administration in its crackdown on unauthorized immigrants. 

Crackdown on Illegal Labor Intensifies - WSJ.com: "The Obama administration intensified a crackdown on employers of illegal immigrants, notifying 1,000 companies Wednesday that they will be subjected to inspections of hiring records.

The surge brings the number of companies audited by immigration authorities to 2,338 in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, surpassing last year's record 2,196. The total amount of fines levied against employers for breaking labor and immigration laws reached $7.1 million compared with $6.9 million for the entire previous fiscal year....

The audits, which have affected garment makers, produce growers and fast-food chains, result in the firing of every illegal immigrant on a company's payroll. Companies say the audits undermine productivity and cost them thousands of dollars in legal fees."