Federal Agents Demand Documents from 77 Northern California Businesses in Immigration Sweep

Federal agents this week ordered dozens of Northern California businesses to prove that their employees are authorized to work in the U.S., heightening tensions between state and federal officials over immigration policies.

Employers at 77 businesses were given three workdays to turn over records that show their employees are in compliance with federal law, said James Schwab, a spokesman with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

No one was arrested during the operation, which was carried out Monday through Wednesday, but Schwab said employers who knowingly hired unauthorized workers could face criminal charges or fines.

He said workers found to be in the country illegally during the investigations will be subject to arrest and removal from the country.

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But the move marks the latest instance of state and federal authorities clashing over California’s newly minted sanctuary laws.

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