Seattle’s mayor and a city council member are criticizing a nationwide federal immigration sweep of 7-Eleven stores, including at least one in Washington state.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents executed the action early Wednesday morning. Twenty-one people were arrested, accused of being in the country illegally. In a statement to KING 5, the agency wrote, in part:
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents served notices of inspection (NOIs), also known as I-9 audit notices, to 98 7-Eleven franchise stores across the country, and conducted interviews with the stores’ employees and managers. NOIs are a tool used by ICE to ensure that businesses are operating with employees who have proper work authorization.
“Today’s actions send a strong message to U.S. businesses that hire and employ an illegal workforce: ICE will enforce the law, and if you are found to be breaking the law, you will be held accountable,” said Thomas D. Homan, ICE Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director. “Businesses that hire illegal workers are a pull factor for illegal immigration and we are working hard to remove this magnet. ICE will continue its efforts to protect jobs for American workers by eliminating unfair competitive advantages for companies that exploit illegal immigration.”
In 2013, HSI conducted an investigation into various 7-Eleven franchises that resulted in the arrest of nine franchise owners and managers for conspiring to commit wire fraud, stealing identities and concealing and harboring illegal aliens employed at their stores. All but one, who remained a fugitive until his arrest in November 2017, pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay more than $2.6 million in restitution for back wages stolen from workers.
Today’s service of NOIs throughout the United States serves as a follow-up to ensure the company has taken the proper steps towards more responsible hiring and employment practices.”
The NOIs were served in 18 states, including Washington.
Seattle City Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez expressed her disappointment in the raids, although it is unclear whether any happened in Western Washington.
“The reality is undocumented and refugee communities have been living in fear since this president became the President of the United States of America,” said Gonzalez, adding, “I think this administration has shown they have an incredible bias to immigrants and refugees in general and undocumented immigrants in particular.”
Gonzalez went on to say, “Fix the system. We need comprehensive immigration reform, so our labor market needs are actually paired up with legal paths to employment this is just a band-aid, a band-aid enforcement action that's not going to result in any real change.”
Mayor Jenny Durkan also issued a statement:
“Another day, another attack on immigrant & refugee communities by President Trump and his administration. These ICE raids are designed to drain resources from real public safety threats and punish hard-working immigrants. Seattle won’t be bullied and we will protect our residents and families. We have the law – and justice – on our side.”
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who recently sued Motel 6 over immigration issues, had no comment on Wednesday’s allegations.
