
Have your I-9s ready: Chicago restaurants prep for Trump immigration sweeps
CNN
Since Trump’s victory in November, the American Business Immigration Coalition has held several dozen in-person and virtual training sessions with more than a thousand employers to prep for the sweeps.
If US Immigration and Customs Enforcement visits a Chicago restaurant in the coming days, Sam Toia wants to know. With the incoming Trump administration planning to kick off an immigration crackdown in major cities, possibly including Chicago, Toia, CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, has been fielding calls from worried members and preparing to come to their assistance. “Make sure all your folks that are working – and I’m sure they have – have the documents in place, and if ICE inspectors come in, that you comply with them,” Toia said he relays to members about I-9 employment eligibility verification forms. “Please comply with the law, just like you would if a health inspector came in.” At the same time, he is touching base with area immigration attorneys and advocates to enable the association to swiftly provide referrals should any eateries or their staffers need help. “If they do come to your restaurant, give me a call,” said Toia, noting foreign-born workers are the “backbone” of the Windy City’s hospitality industry. “We have immigration lawyers that are members of the association, so we will put employers and employees in contact with the right folks.” Like Toia, business groups and employers around the US are gearing up for the looming immigration actions that were a centerpiece of President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 election campaign.

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