More than 250 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested at 61 Wal-Mart Stores Inc. locations in 21 states as part of an investigation into cleaning crews and
other subcontractors for the world’s largest retailer, a federal immigration official said.
A federal grand jury in Philadelphia is investigating whether Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart or its subcontractors knowingly hired illegal immigrants, said Garrison Courtney, spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part
of the Department of Homeland Security. Grand jury proceedings are secret.
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Those arrested are from Eastern Europe, Mexico and other countries and are being brought before an immigration judge, Courtney said. Some will be held, while others may be released with a notice to appear in court. Ultimately, the workers may be deported, officials said. Wal-Mart, with more than 1.3 million workers worldwide, is the largest U.S. private employer.
Whether Wal-Mart executives knew of the illegal workers “is part of the investigation,” Courtney said. “We have to look at this from the top down. Did the company knowingly contract to hire illegal aliens? Part of the process is finding out who knew what when.”
Wal-Mart spokesman Tom Williams didn’t respond to an e-mail and at least three messages left at his office seeking comment.
Shares of Wal-Mart have increased 16 percent this year.
The arrests came after an audit of Social Security numbers submitted by the workers. The audit looked at whether Social Security numbers were used for more than one person.
Investigations such as this often begin by someone passing along a tip to immigration officials, Courtney said.
The arrests stem from an investigation begun in 1998 by the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office, said Kevin Harley, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office. He referred other questions to federal officials.
The immigrants were arrested as they finished their night shifts, the Associated Press reported. The office of one Wal-Mart executive was searched, AP said, citing an unidentified federal official.
The stores that were raided are in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Wal-Mart relies on keeping expenses down to lure shoppers
with low prices. Unions and advocacy groups have accused the
retailer of unfair labor practices, such as making employees work
overtime without pay. The retailer
has fought unionization efforts, which would increase payroll
costs.
A jury in Oregon last year concluded that Wal-Mart managers
broke wage laws by forcing employees to work overtime without
pay. Wal-Mart also faces a lawsuit filed by six women who allege
the retailer’s pay and promotion policies are unfair to women. A
judge is considering whether to expand the suit to include other
employees.
Bloomberg News
