ICE says 'workplace inspections' conducted at 100 DC restaurants
ICE says 'workplace inspections' conducted at 100 DC restaurants
ICE has been conducting what they call "workplace inspections" at dozens of D.C. restaurants. They told FOX 5 their agents went to 100 restaurants on Wednesday, asking for employee verification forms.
WASHINGTON - Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents visited 100 restaurants and businesses in D.C. on Wednesday, conducting what they’re calling "workplace inspections."
While no arrests were made, it has put workers and businesses on edge as they wonder what the end goal is.
What we know:
Federal agents have served dozens of inspection notices to restaurants and businesses in D.C. so far. No one has been detained as a result, leaving many questioning why ICE is coming to these businesses.
FOX 5 was sent photos of federal agents conducting these enforcements in parts of the District on Wednesday. They’re being done by Homeland Security investigations, which is a part of ICE.
Federal officials are saying these are not raids.
READ MORE: Law enforcement spotted in DC days after visits to restaurants in the area
Local perspective:
Agents were at Chef Geoff's restaurant in Northwest D.C. on Tuesday. FOX 5 was told the DHS agents were polite and took about 10 minutes, asking for I-9 employment verification forms.
These I-9 form verifications are standard but typically done in a much different manner with notice and usually through the mail.
Chef Geoff's says that paperwork is managed at a different location so they'll be sent next week.
The same thing happened at nearly a dozen other upscale and popular D.C. restaurants that we are aware of, including Millie's in Spring Valley. Surveillance video showed agents inside Tuesday afternoon.
Another Northeast D.C. restaurant, Cynthia, posted on social media Wednesday saying they were also visited by agents. They, too, said the agents were polite, and no arrests were made.
Still that hasn’t assuaged their fear.
READ MORE: ICE agents went into DC restaurants asking to see staff I-9 forms
What they're saying:
"From what we’ve heard, they’ve come in delivered the letter and they’ve left so there hasn't been any incidents where they're arresting people in the restaurants at this time so when they say they're doing workplace enforcement that is correct, but the way they're doing it is done in a way to intimidate both the business owners and the community," said Abel Nunez, executive director with the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN).
These types of workplace inspections are happening throughout the country by ICE right now. Advocacy groups like CARECEN have been reminding workers and employers about their rights.
"The moment we told them about the operations people were afraid, we've seen less traffic, less delivery drivers on the road, some restaurants saying they couldn't open because they didn't have enough personnel," Nunez said.
What's next:
No one has been detained during these workplace inspections and businesses have three business days to provide those employment verification forms.