The Dept. of Homeland Security will focus more resources on the criminal prosecution of employers who “knowingly” hire illegal workers, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano promised in testimony before Congress.

“DHS is focused on smart, tough, and effective enforcement of the laws we currently have,” Napolitano said. She pointed out that last year, DHS made more than 6,000 arrests related to workplace enforcement, but only 135 of these arrests were of employers.

She says that DHS has issued new protocols that will refocus the efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents “targeting employers who cultivate illegal workplaces by breaking the country's laws and knowingly hiring illegal workers,” and in addition to criminal prosecution of employers, “ICE will use all available civil and administrative tools, including civil fines and debarment, to penalize and deter illegal employment,” Napolitano says.