U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents last week visited several business establishments to check the CW-1 visas of their nonresident employees, Variety learned.
The USCIS/DHS officials also interviewed selected employees at their workplaces.
A federal agent who declined to be identified told Variety that USCIS/DHS can do that if employers applied for immigration benefits and the application is being reviewed.
“But for immigration round ups and arrests, Homeland Security Investigations will do that,” the agent said. “No one was arrested for their immigration statuses last week,” the agent added.
Business operator and United Filipino Organization president Marcelo Masilungan said “documentation inspection by USCIS agents is a routine process if you have employees who are here on CW-1 visas.”
The USCIS form I-129 for a CW-1 visa has a specific consent box for employers to “check” pertaining to work place inspection, Masilungan said.
He said USCIS has been conducting workplace inspections even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“They checked if the employees were physically present, reviewed employees’ pay stubs and other documentations,” Masilungan added.
Professional firms, construction companies, department stores, restaurants, and other service establishments have been visited by USCIS/DHS, Variety learned.
