Whistleblower And Local Law Enforcement Teamwork (WALLET)
White House Petition Supporting Proposed Presidential Executive Order Empowering Local Law Enforcement to Enforce INA I-9 Violations
We will be initiating a White House petition in the near future. Please provide us your email address if you would like to be notified when it launches.
The driving force enticing illegal immigrants to violate U.S. borders is the availability of jobs created by many employers which are willing to break the law by hiring ineligible workers. These unscrupulous employers often victimize these illegal immigrants with hazardous work conditions and inferior wages. These additional crimes typically go unreported because the victims fear reprisals and deportation.
The attached Executive Order will create of the Whistleblower And Local Law Enforcement Teamwork (WALLET) Program. WALLET will augment the current ICE Delegation of Immigration Authority Program, commonly referred to as the 287(g) Program, by empowering local law enforcement and municipal governments to assess and collect fines for I-9 violations under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as a result of tips received from local citizen whistleblowers. Additionally, instead of burdening the local government with the cost of supporting ICE, this program will disburse an amount equal to the fine collected back to the local community.
I-9 enforcement currently diverts important ICE resources from more serious issues such as gang violence and human trafficking. However, with the help of local law enforcement and citizen whistleblowers, this program will take great steps to prevent employers from breaking the law and will return these jobs to eligible workers. Without the jobs, many of the illegal immigrants will go back home where they can then apply to enter and work in the United States legally.