Understanding the Impact of State Immigration Laws

EAGAN, Minn., March 12, 2009 – With 24 states enacting laws or executive orders that seek to deter the employment of unauthorized foreign workers, employers need to be aware of the procedures they need to follow, in addition to steps already required by federal law.

The release of the State Immigration Employment Compliance Handbook, published by West, a Thomson Reuters business, provides a valuable resource for attorneys who advise companies about state immigration laws. The book is co-authored by Austin T. Fragomen Jr., chairman, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, P.C; Careen Shannon, of the same firm, and adjunct professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; and immigration lawyer and author Daniel Montalvo.

"Companies frequently don't understand the consequences of these state immigration laws," said Fragomen. "This is a very fast-changing area of the law, so companies need to take steps to be in compliance with both state and federal laws regarding the employment of foreign workers."

The State Immigration Employment Compliance Handbook provides the full text of relevant state laws and state regulations for employing noncitizens and in-depth analysis of those laws.

"The specter of a state revoking a corporation's license to do business in that state is a pretty profound and significant penalty," adds Fragomen. "So, this in an important area for a new publication."

Note to editors: A Westcast podcast featuring a discussion about state immigration laws with Austin Fragomen, Careen Shannon and Daniel Montalvo is available on the Westcast Web site at http://feeds.feedburner.com/Westcast or go to iTunes and enter "Westcast" in the search box. The co-authors also wrote the Immigration Employment Compliance Handbook, which covers federal immigration laws.

Headquartered in Eagan, Minn., West is the foremost provider of integrated information solutions, software and services to the U.S. legal market. West is part of Thomson Reuters. For more information, please visit the West Web site at west.thomson.com.

Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, scientific, healthcare and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minn., Thomson Reuters employs more than 50,000 people in 93 countries. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Toronto Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.