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 Texas Workshop Leaders:

Robert P. Rutt, your Houston presenter, is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent in Charge (SAC), Houston Texas. Mr. Rutt was promoted to SAC and the Senior Executive Service in May 2006, prior to that he served as the Acting SAC in Houston since April 2005 and was the Deputy SAC in Houston since July 2004.

Mr. Rutt served three years at ICE/U.S. Customs Headquarters in Washington D.C from May 2001 to May 2004, where he was Director of Financial Investigations (U.S. Customs) and Unit Chief Financial Operations (ICE). During his time in Headquarters he played a major role in the development of the 2002 and 2003 National Money Laundering Strategies. Mr. Rutt was instrumental in setting nationwide programmatic policy and provided training to ICE/Customs Special Agents regarding the implementation of the financial law enforcement elements of the U.SA. Patriot Act. He represented the U.S. and made a presentation to the Financial Action Task Force in Oaxaca, Mexico regarding the money laundering threat through the insurance industry. He was a member of the law enforcement and regulatory working group that wrote the regulations regarding the implementation of Section 314 (a) of the U.SA. Patriot Act by law enforcement and the banking industry.

Your presenters from the Texas Law Firm of Haynes and Boone, LLP

Leigh N. Ganchan is an attorney with the law firm of Haynes & Boone in the firm’s Houston office where she advises clients across a vast array of industries on citizenship and employment visa matters, including employment eligibility compliance and preparing individuals for U.S. consulate hearings. Ms. Ganchan is certified in Immigration and Nationality law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

From 1996 to 1999, Ms. Ganchan gained insight into the enforcement side of immigration law during her tenure as an Assistant District Counsel for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. She also performed immigration work at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She currently serves as chair for American Immigration Lawyers Association Liaison Committee to the Texas Service Center and sits on the AILA National Liaison Committee to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters. She was selected for the International Who’s Who in Immigration Law for 2007.Ms. Ganchan has represented clients in such diverse industries as energy, biotechnology, healthcare (clinical and research), finance and construction, with matters including analyzing employers’ employment eligibility verification compliance and planning needs under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) and providing them with comprehensive business immigration solutions including immigration policy development, immigration due diligence, compliance audits, and more.

Lawrence (Larry) D. Finder has extensive experience in government investigations, corporate compliance, federal grand jury, trial practice, internal investigations, and business crimes. Mr. Finder's practice also includes public law representation. He became U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas in February 1993.Larry Finder was appointed to the Board of Managers for the Harris County Hospital District in 1995, and served until 2003. He was elected Vice Chairman in 1998 and Chairman from 1999 to 2003. Mr. Finder also served on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee for The Council On Alcohol and Drugs Houston from 2004 to 2006. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA).

Jaimee E. Olson works in the Immigration Practice Group in the Houston office of Haynes and Boone, LLP. Prior to joining Haynes and Boone, she spent two years working for the U.S. Department of Justice as an Attorney Advisor for the Immigration Court system. Her educational background includes: J.D., University of Miami School of Law, 2005, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif B.A., Furman University, 2001, cum laude.

Martha Velasco Suarez is an associate in the Houston office of Haynes and Boone, LLP. Martha represents management in all aspects of the labor and employment relationship, including I-9 compliance and audits. She is a frequent presenter on employment and immigration-related employment issues, and has represented clients and handled disputes in the United States, Asia, and South America.