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GLENWOOD SPRINGS — Employers can do more to combat illegal immigration than federal and local governments combined, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said Tuesday.
A free workshop Tuesday for employers on how to spot fraudulent documents highlighted that message. The four-hour presentation, hosted by the Colorado Workforce Center, reviewed details of different documents and their security feature.
Steve Turza, an ICE official, said ICE and the workforce center have held the workshops for about six years “because it works. It stops illegal immigration. It even fights terrorism.”
He estimated at least 300 to 400 fraudulent documents seized from the area make it to ICE officials each year.
“We have a large illegal immigrant population here and they use fake documents,” he said.
Some of the seized fake I.D. cards and employment certificates were available at Tuesday’s presentation so employers could inspect them to get a feel for frauds. Avon Police Department detective Paul Arnold said selling fake documents is a “multi-billion-dollar industry.” He told employers to carefully scrutinize every document people show them to get jobs.
“You start to get a feel for what the good ones really look like,” he said. “Your actions are going to force the community at large to follow the rules.”
At one point, an image of a California driver’s license for Osama bin Laden was projected onto a screen. Turza said some states are still “giving away” drivers licenses, although security measures have improved over time.
“The point is be careful who you’re dealing with,” Turza said. “And you never know who you’re dealing with when you accept a fraudulent document.”
If employers deny employment to illegal immigrants who use false documentation, it could go a long way toward combating illegal immigration, according to the presentation.
“People will not have to go out and catch 15 to 20 million illegal aliens,” Turza said. “They will self-deport.”
A free workshop Tuesday for employers on how to spot fraudulent documents highlighted that message. The four-hour presentation, hosted by the Colorado Workforce Center, reviewed details of different documents and their security feature.
Steve Turza, an ICE official, said ICE and the workforce center have held the workshops for about six years “because it works. It stops illegal immigration. It even fights terrorism.”
He estimated at least 300 to 400 fraudulent documents seized from the area make it to ICE officials each year.
“We have a large illegal immigrant population here and they use fake documents,” he said.
Some of the seized fake I.D. cards and employment certificates were available at Tuesday’s presentation so employers could inspect them to get a feel for frauds. Avon Police Department detective Paul Arnold said selling fake documents is a “multi-billion-dollar industry.” He told employers to carefully scrutinize every document people show them to get jobs.
“You start to get a feel for what the good ones really look like,” he said. “Your actions are going to force the community at large to follow the rules.”
At one point, an image of a California driver’s license for Osama bin Laden was projected onto a screen. Turza said some states are still “giving away” drivers licenses, although security measures have improved over time.
“The point is be careful who you’re dealing with,” Turza said. “And you never know who you’re dealing with when you accept a fraudulent document.”
If employers deny employment to illegal immigrants who use false documentation, it could go a long way toward combating illegal immigration, according to the presentation.
“People will not have to go out and catch 15 to 20 million illegal aliens,” Turza said. “They will self-deport.”
Helpful Tips
How to spot fraudulent documentsVerify Social Security and immigration documents
• www.vis-dhs.com/ employerregistration and click “select designated agent restriction”
• www.uscis.gov for updates, forms and information
• Call ICE at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or 945-3065
Sources: Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Colorado Workforce Center
