Master Class Agenda

7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
Breakfast and Registration

8:30 a.m.-9:15 a.m.
Update on DHS Enforcement Actions
Over the last couple of years, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out a number of highly publicized immigration raids in various industries across the country. From the Swift & Company meatpacking plant raids that spanned six states in late 2006 to the early February 2008 arrest of 130 workers at the headquarters of Micro Solutions Enterprises (MSE) in Van Nuys, California, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has kicked its enforcement activity into high gear. Are you in danger of joining the ever-growing list of employers that have been targeted by these raids? Play it safe and learn about:

• Work site enforcement trends, including the shift of ICE resources from national security to targeting employersOwners & managers in court: frequently filed charges such as criminal harboring and document fraud, and the risk of asset seizure and forfeiture
• Selected case studies with an eye to how the raid could have been avoided

9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
Grace Under Fire: Keeping Your Workplace Under Control During an ICE Investigation
ICE officials acknowledge that they have all but abandoned administrative fines in favor of criminal investigations. Given the increase in work site enforcement actions, employers should be fully informed about the laws surrounding a raid and appropriate ways of responding to one. In this session, you'll learn about:

• Search and seizure lawsBest practices for interacting with government agentsManaging internal operations and dealing with the public
• Supporting employees and their families

10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Break

10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
Did I Miss Something? SSA No-Match Letters
In late 2007, a U.S. district court prevented the DHS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) from implementing rules that would have placed additional burdens on employers who receive SSA no-match letters. So what is the status of the court case, and, most important, your responsibility today? This session will bring you up to date on:

• The current approach to dealing with SSA no-match lettersThe proposed approachThe lawsuit preventing implementationWhat a no-match letter means about an employee’s status
• Secretary Chertoff’s next move, and how you can be prepared

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Lunch

12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
The I-9 Form and Acceptable Documents
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced some long-awaited changes to the Form I-9. Now it’s out with the old “List A” and in with a new set of requirements for proving identity and employment eligibility. Don’t be left in the dark. This session will feature:

• What you should do when updating your forms, document list, and handbook New green cards and how employees can swap out their old ones
• Answers to your recertification questions when faced with contradictory and inconsistent documentation

1:30-2:30 p.m.
Employment Eligibility Verification Best Practices
Now that you’ve got your forms up to date, what other steps can you take to ensure compliance with federal immigration laws? This session will take you beyond the minimum requirements, boosting your compliance activities to the next level. We’ll cover:

• Pros and cons of partnering with the governmentBenefits of conducting private I-9 auditsIdentifying patterns of mistakes before federal watchdogs doElectronic I-9 completion and Storage
• Anti-Discrimination Guidelines

2:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.
Break

2:45 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Cities and States as Immigration Law Enforcers
Whose job is it anyway? Frustrated with federal inactivity, some states and even cities have taken it upon themselves to pass their own enforcement laws. But how can you keep up, particularly if you’ve got operations in multiple states? This session will provide an overview of:

• Federal vs. state debate and lawsuits State law survey
• Fines, fees, penalties

3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Politics and I-9s
Just when you think you’ve got the rules figured out, it’s time for a new president and another year of groundbreaking legislative changes. Will the 2008 candidates bring massive reform to current problems with the system? We’ll present information on:

• Presidential candidates and their positions on immigration enforcement as it affects the workplace
• Legislative forecast

4:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Questions and Answers
Get all your remaining questions about challenging immigration enforcement issues answered by the experts.

Your Workshop Leaders: Attorneys with New Mexico's Kemp Smith and Tinnin Law Firm

For the past 10+ years Susanna Visconti has focused her practice entirely in the area of immigration law. Her clients have included large international corporations, local El Paso businesses, independent investors, and professionals, executives and managers. At Kemp Smith, Ms Visconti's client-base includes individuals and companies from Western Europe, Latin America and Africa. Ms. Visconti, a graduate of Wellesley College and St. Mary’s Law School, brings a fresh perspective to the firm. She is a member of the El Paso Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Robert P. Tinnin, Jr. is a partner in Tinnin Law Firm. He has expertise in National Labor Relations Board representation election and unfair labor practice proceedings, state and federal employment discrimination charges, state and federal court litigation proceedings, including equal employment opportunity and contract and tort litigation arising from the employee-employer relationship, wage and hour matters, collective bargaining, and grievance arbitration. Mr. Tinnin is co-editor of New Mexico Employment Law Letter and regularly advises clients on immigration compliance issues.

Glenn A. Beard is an associate with Tinnin Law Firm. He has extensive experience representing and counseling employers in all aspects of labor and employment law and regularly advises clients on immigration compliance issues. His litigation practice has included the defense of discrimination, retaliation, and harassment claims, wage and hour, and unfair labor practice.