Illegal-immigration crackdown on Chipotle restaurants could hurt workers, activist says

Chipotle Mexican Grill has become the latest target of a U.S. government crackdown on companies that hire undocumented workers, bringing mixed reactions from an immigrant-rights activist.

As part of the crackdown, Chipotle restaurants in Virginia and Washington, D.C., will be audited by federal immigration officials.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gillian Brigham said the agency is pushing a broader strategy of "attacking" companies that hire illegal workers and focusing on corporate hiring practices.

"We want employers to understand that the integrity of their employment records is just as important as their tax records," she said. The goal, she said, is for immigration authorities to inspire the same level of compliance -– and fear -– that the Internal Revenue Service creates.

Advocates for immigrant rights said such efforts will just lead to more of the same -- lost jobs for impoverished workers.

"While we're happy that high-profile raids have decreased, the government has shifted to another enforcement-only approach," said Carl Bergquist, a policy advocate with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

Bergquist said that in situations like Chipotle's, businesses are put on the spot and forced to make decisions quickly. "The end result is that people lost their livelihoods," he said.

The Denver-based chain received "notices of inspections" from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at about 60 restaurants, Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said. That follows a similar probe at all Chipotle locations in Minnesota last year that forced the company to fire some illegal workers. California, which has dozens of Chipotle locations, has not been affected by the probe, Arnold said.   

Arnold warned that more employee dismissals may come. 

"If they cannot provide legal documentation, then we cannot legally employ them," Arnold said, declining to specify how many have already been fired.

Arnold said the policy is working at Chipotle, which "hopes to put the matter behind us" by working with immigration authorities to improve hiring practices and expanding participation in the government’s E-verify system, an online program that uses federal databases to check whether employees are in the country legally and authorized to work.

-- Shan Li

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Roger Thornhill]

So this "humane immigrants rights" group is okay with treating immigrants as slave labor, paying them substandard wages with no benefits, and then threatening them with deportation if they dare demand just treatment and pay? The advocacy groups' agenda is not immigration reform, it's flat out amnesty and open borders. I suspected it before but this has to verify it.

Pay these workers what they are worth, give them benefits, ensure they are in the country legally, and a huge part of our immigration issue is solved. We are not going to evict 12-15 million people from the US, a fence isn't going to keep people from fleeing a corrupt homeland, and spot checks are useless. Engage sanctions against those exploiting these hard-working folks and get rid of Bergquist and his group.

[TheBigPicture]

"The goal, she said, is for immigration authorities to inspire the same level of compliance..." Are you kidding...They should do their jobs or they get replaced with competent investigators...

Every illegal hired cheats the Fed and State tax system and unemployment insurance...We need huge fines for the employers and work farms and deportations for the illegals...

[landaddy001]

While I am happy to see the employment laws enforced, I would also like to see stiffer monetary penalties and mandatory jail time for those who employ unlawful workers.

[headjazz]

Chipotle is breaking the law, as such they should be punished to it's full extent. In their eternal greed they bypass Americans workers, avoiding paying a working man's wage, a basic tenet of a free, democratic society. Those that support illegal immigration are the slave traders of modern day. That is the real ugliness of the illegal immigration debate. A complete social under class of enslaved workers chasing the dangling carrot of the "American Dream"!

[CT]

ABOUT TIME....THIS IS A GOOD STEP BUT IT SHOULD BE DONE EVERYWHERE!!!

[Louweegie272]

"Advocates for immigrant rights said such efforts will just lead to more of the same -- lost jobs for impoverished workers." I feel bad that these workers are impoverished, but they are taking jobs from citizens. They should apply to come here legally. Mandatory E Verify is what this country needs.

[Carrieann]

Hiring illegals??? You've lost my businesss!! 4 -GOOD!

[Phyllis N.]

This is a bit unclear. Is the activist saying the crackdown on illegal will hurt illegal workers? Well, that is the reason they are doing it!

All employers should be forced to use E-Verify.

[Robert NO longer in LA]

Chipotle's PROFITS, the Public's EXPENSE; how very typical of our corrupt political parties...long past due to DEPORT the Dems and Repubs, folks....your thoughts on deporting the corrupt politicians, who MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE?

[Deke]

Nobody cares if illegals are going to lose their jobs, since they are criminals who should not have been working in the first place. Why doesn't the article say that Chipotle "opens jobs to legal Americans"? I will definitely not be spending my money at any Mexican business. Will the Chipotle employees be deported now that ICE knows who they are? Will Chipotle managers who hired them be charged for aiding and abetting illegals? Prob not but if CEO's, HR managers and business owners went to jail for hiring illegals, that practice would stop real quick.

[Vickie]

Anyone who employs illegal workers should be prosecuted. Democrats want to harbor them for votes. Republicans have been accused of allowing the invasion for the cheap labor. Senator Bob Corker, who is wealthy, allegedly employs illegals in his construction business. Hopefully, as a new Senator, he will stop this and become a champion of legal hiring and prosecution of offenders.

[Mcgibby]

A good start.

[John]

Nice...free up jobs for American citizens!

[aldeneau]

...so illegal impoverished workers may lose their jobs and legal impoverished workers can get work at Chipotle. Looks like a win/win scenario to me.

[Borchy]

Advocates for immigrant rights said such efforts will just lead to more of the same -- lost jobs for impoverished workers.

BUT, Advocates for the rights of legal citizens say that such efforts are good.
And will lead to more job openings for those here legally and deserving of a job.

[abused citizen]

This will provide job opportunities for impoverished American citizens and legal immigrants.
It is unfortunate that Carl Berquist's organization conspires against law abiding legal immigrants' and American citizens' ability to gain employment opportunities and support their families by favoring law-breaking illegal aliens.

[Teri]

are they checking to make sure they are not using someone elses social security card ?

[1andrew]

Bergquist said that in situations like Chipotle's, businesses are put on the spot and forced to make decisions quickly. "The end result is that people lost their livelihoods," he said.
If I'm not mistaken,thats the point,for illegals to lose their livelihoods.That they have no right to.To quit living here illegally.To go home untill they come here legally.What part of "Illegal" dosen't Berquist get?Build the damn fence already.

[michael g]

We need more work-place ICE raids in this County and State, not less... Ship the law-breakers back to their own countries and let American kids take those jobs... Stop the insanity of the Left/Progressives by letting these illegals go scott-free...

[clackclack]

Chipotle will make over $180 million in profits this year.

Hire Americans!

I officially have Chipotle on my boycott list now.

[TrueFreedom]

Do the raids in California, too.
Bergquist said , "The end result is that people lost their livelihoods."
Puhleez. They are losing a livelihood that was not theirs to have in the first place. What about the livelihood of the 9% unemployed Americans? I'm sure some would gladly do the Chipotle job. What about their livelihood!?!?!

[Anthony]

They should force them to take "Mexican" out of their name, because that is NOT mexican food, yuk!

[Johan]

OK the headline made me laugh, but to the activists what about the going through legal channels and following the USA immigration laws.

[Tornadoes28]

Unbelievable. The activists are complaining that impoverished workers will lose their jobs. They blatantly admit they don't care that some one broke the law by entering the country illegally. For some reason they don't care about impoverished legal citizens and residents.

[Margo]

It was just a matter of time, and its going to get worse, big businesses, and independent contractors will be hit regularly. And, the fed will give tax incentives to companies that use e-verify.

Community leaders need to start instructing immigrants here illegally, to save as much as they can, because once cities that can't afford the exploding populations, it will start doing what Escondido, Hazelton, and others are trying to do.

So these people are not swept up unaware, and lose everything, they should start preparing to go back and live better lives. Open a small business, and buy some property in TJ, where it will be booming soon, because citizens are standing up to the crime, corruption, gangs, and cartels.