The Department of Justice and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced plans to further collaborate in an effort to detect and eliminate employer fraud, discrimination and abuse in bringing foreign workers to the United States.  This collaboration expands on a partnership between the agencies that began in 2010 to share information about E-Verify misuse and combat employment discrimination.

According to a Memorandum of Understanding released earlier this month, the agencies will improve their ability to share information needed to identify, investigate and prosecute employers who may be violating immigration laws or discriminating against American workers. Such information will be of use to the DOJ’s “Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative,” which is aimed at targeting, investigating, and taking enforcement actions against companies that discriminate against U.S. workers in favor of foreign visa workers.  It will also assist the USCIS in its work under the Buy American and Hire American Executive Order, which includes ensuring the integrity of employment-based immigration programs by running tip lines for reporting H-1B and H-2b visa fraud and expanding worksite visits.  More information on the USCIS initiative is available at the agency’s Buy American and Hire American website.

According to USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna, “This agreement enhances the level of coordination among investigators who often work on the same issues at different agencies. Breaking down silos and working with our federal partners to combat employment discrimination will help ensure that U.S. workers have the advocate they need at the highest level.”