Ep #30: ICE Raids: What Restaurant Owners Need to Know with Immigration Attorney Helen Lawrence

ptotah
4 days ago
2 min read

Restaurant Deal Making EXPOSED! with Patrick Totah and Andy Mirabell | ICE Raids: What Restaurant Owners Need to Know with Immigration Attorney Helen Lawrence

What happens if ICE shows up at your restaurant’s door? The restaurant industry has long depended on immigrant labor, but with increased ICE enforcement, owners face new threats to their staffing and operations. From heightened raids to the uncertainty about their employees’ status, restaurant owners are now asking: How do we protect our teams, our businesses, and ourselves?

In this episode, immigration attorney Helen Lawrence joins us to discuss the current state of immigration enforcement and its impact on the restaurant industry. Helen provides insight into how the administration is focusing on low-hanging fruit and what restaurants can do about the threat of ICE raids. She explains the shifting tactics of enforcement and the ways restaurant owners can prepare for the unexpected.

Helen offers practical advice for protecting your business and your employees. She discusses the importance of I-9 compliance, how to distinguish between judicial and administrative warrants, and the value of creating an emergency action plan for your restaurant. Helen also explains what a sanctuary city status actually means and shares tips on how restaurant owners can manage this risk while maintaining a compassionate approach to their employees during these difficult times.

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What You’ll Learn from this Episode:

Why agriculture and meatpacking sites are seeing more raids than individual restaurants.
The critical difference between judicial warrants and administrative warrants.
How to mark and protect the private areas of your restaurant from warrantless entry.
Why ICE is targeting people who are complying with immigration requirements and showing up for required check-ins.
How to create and practice an emergency plan for your restaurant, including training staff on their rights.
What I-9 requirements actually mean for employers and what to do about these obligations.