Immigration officials have notified 75 New Jersey businesses that their hiring records will be audited to determine if they are employing unauthorized immigrants or violating other labor laws, federal officials said.

The New Jersey businesses targeted for inspections were among 2,738 flagged for audits last week during a four-day nationwide operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency said.

"This is not a victimless crime," said Derek Benner, acting executive associate director for ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit. "Unauthorized workers often use stolen identities of legal U.S. workers, which can significantly impact the identity theft victim's credit, medical records and other aspects of their everyday life."

In addition to handing out the audit notices, ICE arrested 32 people during the four-day operation, though none were in New Jersey, said Emilio Dabul, an ICE spokesman.

ICE did not identify the New Jersey businesses that were given notices or why they were targeted.

"As per privacy rules, those businesses cannot be identified," Dabul said.

The notices were handed out as the Trump administration has been stepping up enforcement of federal laws prohibiting companies and businesses from employing immigrants living in the country illegally.

In early January, immigration agents descended on more than 100 7-Eleven convenience stores around the nation, including several in New Jersey, to check the immigration status of employees.

At the time, ICE officials said the 7-Eleven operation was a "a harbinger of what's to come" for employers.

Later that month, ICE began a two-month operation that handed out 2,540 I-9 Notices of Inspection, known as NOIs, and made 61 arrests at businesses around the nation suspected of hiring unauthorized workers or violating other laws, federal officials said.

The notices handed out last week were the second part of that operation. The agency is trying to "create a culture of compliance" among employers, ICE officials said.

Officials at 7-Eleven's corporate headquarters did not immediately respond to questions about whether any of their franchises in New Jersey or elsewhere received audit notices in last week's ICE operation.

In addition to focusing on the employment of unauthorized immigrants, the audits might uncover worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices, federal officials said.

Businesses that receive audit notices must turn over their hiring records within three business days. If it is found they are employing unauthorized immigrants, the businesses could be fined or face possible criminal prosecution.

Workers living in the U.S. illegally could also be arrested and face deportation, ICE officials said. That includes workers who give false or stolen social security numbers or fake green cards when they apply for jobs.

Asplundh Tree Experts, headquartered near Philadelphia, faced the largest-ever financial penalty in an immigration case last year after top company officials were accused of turning a blind eye when lower level employees repeatedly hired unauthorized immigrants to trim trees and clear brush nationwide.

In that case, managers hired workers who allegedly presented bogus driver's licenses, stolen Social Security numbers and fake green cards.

The company was ordered to forfeit $80 million dollars and pay an additional $15 million dollars in civil fines, ICE officials said. The company accepted responsibility for the charges and apologized to customers.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.