DOJ & USCIS Announce Agreement On Protecting U.S. Workers (Video)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the
Department of Justice announced on May 11, 2018, a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) that “expands their collaboration to
better detect and eliminate fraud, abuse, and discrimination by
employers bringing foreign visa workers to the United States.”
This new effort “improves the way the agencies share
information, collaborate on cases, and train each other’s
investigators,” USCIS said.
The MOU will increase the ability of the agencies to share
information and identify, investigate, and prosecute employers who
may be discriminating against U.S. workers and/or violating
immigration laws. In 2010, USCIS and the Justice Department’s
Civil Rights Division entered into an ongoing partnership to share
information about E-Verify misuse and combat employment
discrimination. The new MOU “expands upon the two
agencies’ existing partnership,” USCIS said.
“In the spirit of President Trump’s Executive Order on
Buy American and Hire American, today’s partnership adds to the
Civil Rights Division’s tools to stop employers from
discriminating against U.S. workers by favoring foreign visa
workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John M. Gore
of the Civil Rights Division. “The Division looks forward to
expanding its partnerships with USCIS to hold accountable employers
that discriminate against U.S. workers based on their citizenship
status.”
“Protecting and maintaining the integrity of our
immigration system remains a key priority for me, and underpins the
exceptional work of the professionals at USCIS,” said USCIS
Director L. Francis Cissna. “This agreement enhances the level
of coordination among investigators who often work on the same
issues at different agencies. Breaking down silos and working with
our federal partners to combat employment discrimination will help
ensure that U.S. workers have the advocate they need at the highest
level.”
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