Fraud Prosecutions in Massachusetts

 Mike Underwood reports in the Boston Herald:

Immigration officials rounded up 27 people yesterday in an effort to smash a suspected document and benefit fraud operation in Chelsea.
    Seven people, all illegal immigrants, will face criminal charges in U.S. District Court while the remaining 20 will face immigration charges in a Federal Immigration Court.
    “This was a targeted enforcement operation,” said Paula Grenier, spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency which carried out the raid.
    She said she could not comment on exactly where or when the raid happened, but said one woman was released from custody because of “child care” reasons.
    The raid comes as federal authorities are poised to release tough new rules aimed at making it harder for employers to hire undocumented immigrants. The new rules force employers to confirm Social Security numbers or fire the workers on the spot. Those who fail to comply could face fines of $250 to $10,000 per illegal worker. Click here for the rest of the story.

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