Company raids find people working without US work permit

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on Wednesday notified more than 650 businesses around the US, including nearly 50 in Los Angeles, that their records will be audited as part of a widening effort to find companies that hire illegal immigrants.

American Apparel Inc, a company which prides itself on selling clothing made in the US, said it's been notified by the Federal agency that they had been unable to verify the employment eligibility of about 200 of its current employees.

The agency also notified the company that about 1,600 other of its employees don't appear to have temporary or permanent work visas or any other authorisation to work in the US.

American Apparel said these employees, about a third of the company's 5,600 workforce, won't be able to continue to work at the company unless they prove they have an American work permit.

The number of notices issued is the largest ever in a single day and exceeds the total sent out in all of fiscal 2008, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.

The Obama Government has made tougher enforcement aimed at employers a cornerstone of its American visa and immigration policy.

The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in American visa and immigration services.