Even if an illegal worker is pulled over by a police officer for a traffic violation, it's unlikely INS will get involved, he said. The undocumented worker would be released until his court date with immigration. Commonly, a false name and address are given, which makes INS officials' time useless, Berald said. But the practice of hiring undocumented workers, however common, is rarely blatant. Most undocumented Hispanic workers provide employers with some type of paper and tax identification number, either legitimate or fabricated.
Employers usually claim innocence even if the papers appear obviously fabricated.
It's tough because even if an employer is caught, he says he had no idea, that he was scammed,'' said Bill Castro, INS community relations officer for the regional office in Atlanta.