Orange City, Iowa — Changes have been made at the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office after a recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling regarding charging unauthorized immigrants who use false identification to apply for a job.
Sheriff Dan Altena explains.
However, Altena says it doesn’t mean that the act of stealing someone’s identity to gain employment is any less illegal. It’s just that it would have to be investigated and prosecuted by federal authorities. He says it also doesn’t affect other crimes that an unauthorized immigrant may commit using false identification documents — only unlawful unemployment.
Sheriff Altena says it’s still early in the game, and options are being reviewed.
Altena says about half of the complaints of identity theft that they receive come from victims. He says the other half come from anonymous tips from people who somehow know someone is using false documents to obtain employment.
The Sheriff says that if a federal agency would ask for their help to investigate a case of employment-related identity theft or fraud, they would be happy to provide assistance to that federal agency.
