PROVIDENCE, R.I.—The state Department of Administration launched a review of two contractors whose janitorial workers were swept up in a federal immigration raid on several courthouses, the governor's office said Thursday.
The review was meant to make sure that Falcon Maintenance Co. and Tri-State Enterprises were complying with state and federal employment and immigration laws, a statement from Gov. Don Carcieri's office said.
Thirty-one employees of the firms were arrested in a sweep of six courthouses on Tuesday. The two companies have 45 state cleaning contracts between them, including at the main state office building, according to The Providence Journal.
A lawyer for Tri-State said Wednesday that the company did everything possible to ensure its workers were legal, including requiring valid photo identifications and criminal background checks.
The governor's office also said it is looking into whether it can use a federal employment database to screen all current state employees and contractors who may have access to sensitive or secure materials.
An executive order signed by Carcieri in March cracked down on illegal immigrants by, among other things, requiring the use of the database, E-Verify, for all new employees of the state and state contractors.
Carcieri said his administration won't tolerate illegal activity from what he called "unscrupulous employers."
