Original Story: freep.com
Less than one week after being outed in an immigration scam, a Birmingham attorney accused of paying bribes to a federal agent to help his clients avoid deportation has cut a deal with the federal government and is scheduled to plead guilty next month, according to court documents.
Attorney Charles Busse, 58, who has law offices in Rochester Hills and Dearborn, has a plea hearing scheduled for Nov. 3 in U.S. District Court, according to a filing Monday. It is not known exactly what he is expected to plead guilty to. What is known, according to court records unsealed last Thursday, is that he is charged with paying bribes to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent for favors with his clients. A Traverse City immigration lawyer represent domestic and foreign-based clients with a wide range of immigration law issues.
Specifically, court records show, Busse and the federal ICE agent helped several immigrants avoid deportation by pretending that the immigrants were assisting in official federal investigations when they were not. In some cases, records show, the ICE agent convinced the Department of Homeland Security that the immigrants had knowledge about drug deals or the manufacturing of fake identification documents when he knew that wasn't true.
The scheme worked. According to court documents, several of these immigrants, including Albanians, Iraqis and Mexicans, avoided deportation with the help of their lawyer, who was in cahoots with the ICE agent. Here's how it worked: The immigrant clients paid thousands of dollars to Busse for help. He in turn paid the ICE agent bribes, records show. A Traverse City Green Card lawyer is reviewing the details of this case.
Busse also is charged with obstruction of justice and tax evasion. According to court documents, this scheme ran between 2009 and 2015. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five to 15 years in prison.
The accused ICE agent also was charged. Clifton Divers, 48, of Detroit is charged with six crimes, including misusing his position with ICE-Homeland Security Investigations to obtain numerous deferrals of deportations in exchange for cash bribes. If convicted, he faces between five and 20 years in prison.
Busse, who made an an initial court appearance Monday and was released on bond, said nothing about the allegations. But he offered support to his alleged accomplice. When asked for comment about his case, Busse paused for a moment in the court hallway and said:
"I know officer Clifton Divers as a decent man and a loving father," Busse said before walking away.
Busse's lawyer, David Griem, said his client's main concern right now is making sure his clients get the legal help they need, especially the nearly 200 indigent clients whom he represents on a pro bono basis. A Traverse City immigration attorney assists clients with temporary work visas, deportation cases, and obtaining U.S. permanent residency.
"We're trying to resolve the case with the government," Griem said. "Our concerns right now are for Mr. Busse's clients. .. We're going to do everything we can possibly do to make sure that those people are OK."
Busse was not indicted by a federal grand jury, but rather charged in a document known as an information. In such cases, defendants typically agree to cut a deal early on and avoid being indicted by a federal grand jury. The indictment process is required for a case to go to trial in federal court. If someone is charged in an information, it typically means they are cooperating.
Showing posts with label Department of Homeland Security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Department of Homeland Security. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Monday, February 18, 2013
Immigration Bill paves way for illegals and families to obtain legal residency
Story first appeared on Detroit Free Press -
A draft of a White House immigration proposal obtained by USA TODAY would allow illegal immigrants to become legal permanent residents within eight years.
The plan also would provide for more security funding and require business owners to check the immigration status of new hires within four years. In addition, the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants could apply for a newly created "Lawful Prospective Immigrant" visa, under the draft bill being written by the White House.
If approved, they could then apply for the same provisional legal status for their spouse or children living outside the country, according to the draft.
The bill is being developed as members in both chambers of Congress are drafting their own immigration bills. In the House, a bipartisan group of representatives has been negotiating an immigration proposal for years and are writing their own bill. Last month, four Republican senators joined with four Democratic senators to announce their agreement on the general outlines of an immigration plan.
One of those senators, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said Obama's bill repeats the failures of past legislation and would be "dead on arrival" in Congress.
"It fails to follow through on previously broken promises to secure our borders, (and) creates a special pathway that puts those who broke our immigration laws at an advantage over those who chose to do things the right way and come here legally," Rubio said. "It would actually make our immigration problems worse."
The draft was obtained from an Obama administration official who said it was being distributed to various agencies. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to release the proposal publicly.
The bill mirrors many provisions of the bipartisan 2007 bill that was spearheaded by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and ultimately failed.
In his first term, Obama often deferred to Congress on drafting and advancing major legislation, including the Affordable Care Act. He has openly supported the efforts in Congress to take the lead on immigration legislation, and just this week met with Democratic senators to discuss their proposals.
But two weeks ago in Las Vegas, while outlining his immigration plans, Obama made clear that he would not wait too long for Congress to get moving.
"If Congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion, I will send up a bill based on my proposal and insist that they vote on it right away," he said.
White House spokesman Clark Stevens said Saturday that the administration continues to support the bipartisan efforts ongoing in Congress.
"The president has made clear the principles upon which he believes any common-sense immigration reform effort should be based," Stevens said. "We continue to work in support of a bipartisan effort, and while the president has made clear he will move forward if Congress fails to act, progress continues to be made and the administration has not prepared a final bill to submit."
According to the White House draft, people would need to pass a criminal background check, submit biometric information and pay fees to qualify for the new visa. If approved, they would be allowed to legally reside in the U.S. for four years, work and leave the country for short periods of time. After the four years, they could then reapply for an extension.
Illegal immigrants would be disqualified from the program if they were convicted of a crime that led to a prison term of at least one year, three or more different crimes that resulted in a total of 90 days in jail, or if they committed any offense abroad that "if committed in the United States would render the alien inadmissible or removable from the United States."
People currently in federal custody or facing deportation proceedings also could be allowed to apply for the Lawful Prospective Immigrant visa. Application forms and instructions would be provided in "the most common languages spoken by persons in the United States," but the application and all supporting evidence submitted to the federal government would have to be in English.
They would also be given a new identification card to show as proof of their legal status in the country.
The immigrants could then apply for legal permanent residence, commonly known as a green card, within eight years if they learn English and "the history and government of the United States" and pay back taxes. That would then clear the path for them to apply for U.S. citizenship.
To combat fraud, the draft proposes a new Social Security card be developed that is "fraud-resistant, tamper-resistant and wear-resistant." The Social Security Administration would be required to issue the new cards within two years.
A major requirement for many Republicans is enhanced border security. The bill calls for an unspecified increase in the Border Patrol, allows the Department of Homeland Security to expand technological improvements along the border and adds 140 new immigration judges to process the heavy flow of people who violate immigration laws.
It also orders U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to study whether a land-border crossing fee should be implemented to help offset border security costs. The draft also proposes raising many inspection fees that border-crossers already pay.
The draft bill proposes a new plan to allow Homeland Security to "accept donations" from citizens, businesses and local and state governments to improve ports of entry and security features along the border. And it would require CBP to begin collecting statistics on deaths along the border and report them quarterly.
The draft also expands the E-Verify program that checks the immigration status of people seeking new jobs. Businesses with more than 1,000 employees must begin using the system within two years, businesses with more than 250 employees within three years and all businesses within four years.
Homeland Security, working with the U.S. departments of Labor and Agriculture, the attorney general and other agencies, would engage in a $40 million-a-year program to educate business owners and workers about the program.
Homeland Security also would be required to submit a report within 18 months showing how the worker verification system is working, and specifically explain how it is affecting the nation's agriculture industry, which relies heavily on illegal immigrant workers.
The draft obtained by USA TODAY does not include sections that would alter the nation's legal immigration system to adjust the future flow of legal immigrants, which is expected to be a critical component of any immigration overhaul.
A draft of a White House immigration proposal obtained by USA TODAY would allow illegal immigrants to become legal permanent residents within eight years.
The plan also would provide for more security funding and require business owners to check the immigration status of new hires within four years. In addition, the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants could apply for a newly created "Lawful Prospective Immigrant" visa, under the draft bill being written by the White House.
If approved, they could then apply for the same provisional legal status for their spouse or children living outside the country, according to the draft.
The bill is being developed as members in both chambers of Congress are drafting their own immigration bills. In the House, a bipartisan group of representatives has been negotiating an immigration proposal for years and are writing their own bill. Last month, four Republican senators joined with four Democratic senators to announce their agreement on the general outlines of an immigration plan.
One of those senators, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said Obama's bill repeats the failures of past legislation and would be "dead on arrival" in Congress.
"It fails to follow through on previously broken promises to secure our borders, (and) creates a special pathway that puts those who broke our immigration laws at an advantage over those who chose to do things the right way and come here legally," Rubio said. "It would actually make our immigration problems worse."
The draft was obtained from an Obama administration official who said it was being distributed to various agencies. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to release the proposal publicly.
The bill mirrors many provisions of the bipartisan 2007 bill that was spearheaded by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and ultimately failed.
In his first term, Obama often deferred to Congress on drafting and advancing major legislation, including the Affordable Care Act. He has openly supported the efforts in Congress to take the lead on immigration legislation, and just this week met with Democratic senators to discuss their proposals.
But two weeks ago in Las Vegas, while outlining his immigration plans, Obama made clear that he would not wait too long for Congress to get moving.
"If Congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion, I will send up a bill based on my proposal and insist that they vote on it right away," he said.
White House spokesman Clark Stevens said Saturday that the administration continues to support the bipartisan efforts ongoing in Congress.
"The president has made clear the principles upon which he believes any common-sense immigration reform effort should be based," Stevens said. "We continue to work in support of a bipartisan effort, and while the president has made clear he will move forward if Congress fails to act, progress continues to be made and the administration has not prepared a final bill to submit."
According to the White House draft, people would need to pass a criminal background check, submit biometric information and pay fees to qualify for the new visa. If approved, they would be allowed to legally reside in the U.S. for four years, work and leave the country for short periods of time. After the four years, they could then reapply for an extension.
Illegal immigrants would be disqualified from the program if they were convicted of a crime that led to a prison term of at least one year, three or more different crimes that resulted in a total of 90 days in jail, or if they committed any offense abroad that "if committed in the United States would render the alien inadmissible or removable from the United States."
People currently in federal custody or facing deportation proceedings also could be allowed to apply for the Lawful Prospective Immigrant visa. Application forms and instructions would be provided in "the most common languages spoken by persons in the United States," but the application and all supporting evidence submitted to the federal government would have to be in English.
They would also be given a new identification card to show as proof of their legal status in the country.
The immigrants could then apply for legal permanent residence, commonly known as a green card, within eight years if they learn English and "the history and government of the United States" and pay back taxes. That would then clear the path for them to apply for U.S. citizenship.
To combat fraud, the draft proposes a new Social Security card be developed that is "fraud-resistant, tamper-resistant and wear-resistant." The Social Security Administration would be required to issue the new cards within two years.
A major requirement for many Republicans is enhanced border security. The bill calls for an unspecified increase in the Border Patrol, allows the Department of Homeland Security to expand technological improvements along the border and adds 140 new immigration judges to process the heavy flow of people who violate immigration laws.
It also orders U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to study whether a land-border crossing fee should be implemented to help offset border security costs. The draft also proposes raising many inspection fees that border-crossers already pay.
The draft bill proposes a new plan to allow Homeland Security to "accept donations" from citizens, businesses and local and state governments to improve ports of entry and security features along the border. And it would require CBP to begin collecting statistics on deaths along the border and report them quarterly.
The draft also expands the E-Verify program that checks the immigration status of people seeking new jobs. Businesses with more than 1,000 employees must begin using the system within two years, businesses with more than 250 employees within three years and all businesses within four years.
Homeland Security, working with the U.S. departments of Labor and Agriculture, the attorney general and other agencies, would engage in a $40 million-a-year program to educate business owners and workers about the program.
Homeland Security also would be required to submit a report within 18 months showing how the worker verification system is working, and specifically explain how it is affecting the nation's agriculture industry, which relies heavily on illegal immigrant workers.
The draft obtained by USA TODAY does not include sections that would alter the nation's legal immigration system to adjust the future flow of legal immigrants, which is expected to be a critical component of any immigration overhaul.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Silent Raids Crack Down on Illegal Workers
Story first appeared in The Wall Street Journal.
The Department of Homeland Security, continuing its crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants, has ordered hundreds of companies in recent weeks to submit their hiring records for inspection.
This year's first "silent raids" haven't been publicly announced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the DHS agency that conducts them. But an ICE spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday that as of March 29, the agency had notified 500 businesses of all sizes and types to turn over I-9 employment-eligibility forms and other documents for audits.
These inspections will determine whether or not the businesses are complying with their employment-eligibility verification requirements. No one industry is targeted, nor is any one industry immune from scrutiny. The government doesn't divulge the names of companies under investigation.
Since January 2009, the Obama administration has audited at least 7,533 employers suspected of hiring illegal labor and imposed about $100 million in administrative and criminal fines—more audits and penalties than were imposed during the entire George W. Bush administration. The latest penalty hit HerbCo International Inc., a big Washington state-based supplier of organic herbs, which agreed Tuesday to pay $1 million in fines for employing illegal immigrants and then rehiring some of them after an ICE audit last year.
President Barack Obama is walking a fine line as he turns up the heat on companies that hire illegal immigrants and at the same time courts Hispanic voters, many of whom oppose a crackdown. While the audits don't lead to the deportation of a firm's illegal workers, they all lose their jobs. Critics of the crackdown say it drives more immigrants to exploitative, off-the-books work. For firms, the audits can lead to deep losses in productivity, in addition to civil and criminal fines.
The president is trying to have it both ways—appease the enforcement hard-liners while appealing to Hispanic voters. The audits routinely hit good employers who treat workers well, leaving crippled farms and shattered families in their wake.
The audits are most visible when they hit high-profile fast-food chains, hotels and agricultural concerns. But the inspections have also affected light manufacturers, financial-services firms and the garment industry.
The expanding rate and reach of I-9 audits is starting to chip away at the perception that only the most egregious employers are at risk of an enforcement action by ICE. Companies in all industries need to be vigilant.
ICE's Washington headquarters confirmed it has instructed regional field offices to dedicate a specific number of hours to initiating audits. For instance, an ICE agent this year told several grower labor conferences in Michigan that each field agent had been instructed to devote 250 hours to audits this year, several people in attendance said.
A Michigan Farm Bureau manager who was at the events, said the agent also told the group to expect a 40% increase in the number of employers inspected this year. There is no question there has been a steady increase in audits.
ICE declined to provide details of audit quotas. But the agency spokeswoman, said performance goals had been set for each of its 26 field offices to ensure the best use of taxpayer dollars.
Raleigh Immigration Lawyers who advise audited companies report that some employers are being subjected to a second audit.
At a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, a California Senator voiced concern to the Homeland Security Secretary that I-9 audits are going to decimate our farms and farm-dependent jobs.
The House Judiciary Committee Chairman said Tuesday that ICE audits point to an underlying issue: The current paper-based I-9 system is unreliable and outdated. Because fake documents are produced by the millions and can be obtained cheaply, the I-9 system is susceptible to fraud. We should replace this outdated system with E-Verify, a successful Web-based program that quickly identifies illegal immigrants working in the U.S. and protects jobs for legal workers.
On the nation's farms, the overwhelming majority of laborers are illegal immigrants, according to the Department of Labor. Farmers in Michigan, who rely on 45,000 seasonal workers to pick apples, berries and other crops, say they're bracing for audits as the harvest begins.
An audit would force Michigan farmers to fire 70% to 80% of their workers. The people working the fields and harvesting the crops that feed our nation need work authorization.
The surge in enforcement activity and the lack of an immigration overhaul risk undermining U.S. agriculture and the nation's food security.
For more law related news, visit the Nation of Law blog.
For national and worldwide related business news, visit the Peak News Room blog.
For local and Michigan business related news, visit the Michigan Business News blog.
For healthcare and medical related news, visit the Healthcare and Medical blog.
For real estate and home related news, visit the Commercial and Residential Real Estate blog.
For technology and electronics related news, visit the Electronics America blog.
For organic SEO and web optimization related news, visit the SEO Done Right blog.
The Department of Homeland Security, continuing its crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants, has ordered hundreds of companies in recent weeks to submit their hiring records for inspection.
This year's first "silent raids" haven't been publicly announced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the DHS agency that conducts them. But an ICE spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday that as of March 29, the agency had notified 500 businesses of all sizes and types to turn over I-9 employment-eligibility forms and other documents for audits.
These inspections will determine whether or not the businesses are complying with their employment-eligibility verification requirements. No one industry is targeted, nor is any one industry immune from scrutiny. The government doesn't divulge the names of companies under investigation.
Since January 2009, the Obama administration has audited at least 7,533 employers suspected of hiring illegal labor and imposed about $100 million in administrative and criminal fines—more audits and penalties than were imposed during the entire George W. Bush administration. The latest penalty hit HerbCo International Inc., a big Washington state-based supplier of organic herbs, which agreed Tuesday to pay $1 million in fines for employing illegal immigrants and then rehiring some of them after an ICE audit last year.
President Barack Obama is walking a fine line as he turns up the heat on companies that hire illegal immigrants and at the same time courts Hispanic voters, many of whom oppose a crackdown. While the audits don't lead to the deportation of a firm's illegal workers, they all lose their jobs. Critics of the crackdown say it drives more immigrants to exploitative, off-the-books work. For firms, the audits can lead to deep losses in productivity, in addition to civil and criminal fines.
The president is trying to have it both ways—appease the enforcement hard-liners while appealing to Hispanic voters. The audits routinely hit good employers who treat workers well, leaving crippled farms and shattered families in their wake.
The audits are most visible when they hit high-profile fast-food chains, hotels and agricultural concerns. But the inspections have also affected light manufacturers, financial-services firms and the garment industry.
The expanding rate and reach of I-9 audits is starting to chip away at the perception that only the most egregious employers are at risk of an enforcement action by ICE. Companies in all industries need to be vigilant.
ICE's Washington headquarters confirmed it has instructed regional field offices to dedicate a specific number of hours to initiating audits. For instance, an ICE agent this year told several grower labor conferences in Michigan that each field agent had been instructed to devote 250 hours to audits this year, several people in attendance said.
A Michigan Farm Bureau manager who was at the events, said the agent also told the group to expect a 40% increase in the number of employers inspected this year. There is no question there has been a steady increase in audits.
ICE declined to provide details of audit quotas. But the agency spokeswoman, said performance goals had been set for each of its 26 field offices to ensure the best use of taxpayer dollars.
Raleigh Immigration Lawyers who advise audited companies report that some employers are being subjected to a second audit.
At a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, a California Senator voiced concern to the Homeland Security Secretary that I-9 audits are going to decimate our farms and farm-dependent jobs.
The House Judiciary Committee Chairman said Tuesday that ICE audits point to an underlying issue: The current paper-based I-9 system is unreliable and outdated. Because fake documents are produced by the millions and can be obtained cheaply, the I-9 system is susceptible to fraud. We should replace this outdated system with E-Verify, a successful Web-based program that quickly identifies illegal immigrants working in the U.S. and protects jobs for legal workers.
On the nation's farms, the overwhelming majority of laborers are illegal immigrants, according to the Department of Labor. Farmers in Michigan, who rely on 45,000 seasonal workers to pick apples, berries and other crops, say they're bracing for audits as the harvest begins.
An audit would force Michigan farmers to fire 70% to 80% of their workers. The people working the fields and harvesting the crops that feed our nation need work authorization.
The surge in enforcement activity and the lack of an immigration overhaul risk undermining U.S. agriculture and the nation's food security.
For more law related news, visit the Nation of Law blog.
For national and worldwide related business news, visit the Peak News Room blog.
For local and Michigan business related news, visit the Michigan Business News blog.
For healthcare and medical related news, visit the Healthcare and Medical blog.
For real estate and home related news, visit the Commercial and Residential Real Estate blog.
For technology and electronics related news, visit the Electronics America blog.
For organic SEO and web optimization related news, visit the SEO Done Right blog.
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