JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has directed a letter to 5G Masonry LLC demanding verification of the lawful status of their employees. The letter comes after General Bailey’s office received a complaint alleging that the company employs illegal immigrants, a violation of state law. The company will have fifteen days to hand over the requested documents.
In the letter, General Bailey wrote, “Since 2021, more than eight million illegal immigrants have entered the Unites States. That is more than the population of Missouri. These numbers are not an accident. There is only one reason eight million people illegally cross a sovereign nation’s border: because they know they can get away with it. Since the Biden Administration’s inception, there has been an orchestrated lack of enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws. That failure has not only led to impeachment proceedings against top officials in the federal government; it has given rise to an unprecedented level of state actions necessary to fill the vacuum created by the federal government’s ineptitude. The chaos unleashed at our open southern border has wreaked havoc on our communities, and now the individual states, including the State of Missouri, must stand in the gap as the federal government refuses to act.
“This includes our statutory responsibility to enforce state law. The Attorney General’s Office, pursuant to Missouri’s Revised Statutes, Sections 285.525—.555 and the Code of State Regulations, 15 CSR 60-15.010—.050, has the authority to receive, investigate, and pursue complaints ‘that a business entity or employer has knowingly employed, hired for employment, or continued to employ an unauthorized alien to perform work in Missouri in violation of section 285.530, RSMo Supp. 2008.’ If an employer violates Missouri law regarding the ‘Employment of unauthorized aliens,’ the employer may be subject to the loss of its business license, permit, or exemptions, as well as other penalties.”
He continued, “In the State of Missouri, we respect and honor our businesses. They are the engines of economic growth that drive the establishment of successful communities. We honor, too, the dedicated employees who produce prosperity with their hard work, skill, and devotion. At the same time, the State of Missouri has a responsibility to ensure that workers, employers, and businesses are complying with Missouri law. Otherwise, the rule of law is undermined, and there is a potential for abuse, mistreatment, and unfairness. Upholding the rule of law is essential to ensuring that our business communities continue to thrive in this state.”
He concluded, “To that end, the Attorney General’s Office is following up on a complaint that 5G Masonry LLC d/b/a Rosales Masonry Company LLC is potentially employing or paying for work (including with cash) performed by unauthorized aliens in violation of Missouri law. Within 15 business days of receiving this letter, state statute requires that you provide “identity information” for all employees or those that your company is paying for work (including with cash). This includes “a copy of the Form I-9 completed by the employer and employee including copies of documents presented by the employee establishing identity and employment eligibility or, alternatively, an E-Verify case verification number and a copy of any documents received from the Social Security Administration or U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding the employment eligibility of the employee or employees.”