ICE’s IMAGE forum helps businesses comply with federal hiring regulations
The El Paso Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) held its IMAGE forum Thursday in Central El Paso.
IMAGE stands for ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employees. The training is designed to help businesses remain compliant with federal regulations in hiring employees authorized to work in the United States.
“The great benefit that IMAGE has for an employer is that they will have access to a point of contact with our agency who are the enforcers,” said Waldemar Rodriguez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigions (HSI), “(They) are also making sure that you’re compliant with the law and so they will have the best advice, the best guidance that they can get.”
Other topics discussed during the forum included detecting fraudulent documents, the use of E-Verify, and training on the changes made to the I-9 form.
“I tell my clients that unfortunately, I-9 is one of the most expensive documents in our employee file,” said Tommy Cano, Owner of Cano HR Group, “If you don’t do it correctly, complete it correctly, or don’t complete it at all, the penalties assessed can make or break a business.”
One of Cano’s clients, Karl Busch of Cici’s Pizza, was introduced today at the forum as the newest IMAGE partner. Cano had told Busch that being a part of this program would be “something that is going to let you sleep at night.”
Other El Paso businesses who are already part of the IMAGE program also see the benefits from attending this training.
“We like this kind of event because it represents an opportunity for our business to comply with the government rules,” said Cinthia Nuez, Human Resouces Director of El Taco Tote.
As the IMAGE program is implemented, Cano wants to be sure that all local businesses are on board.
“I don’t understand why not every employer in town is an IMAGE partner because that is absolutely something that is going to give them piece of mind,” Cano said.
