Top members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general and the FBI to investigate the Trump Organization's hiring of workers without legal immigration status and allegations of mistreatment.

A letter spearheaded by Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro Joaquin CastroHispanic Caucus members embark on 'virtual bus tour' with Biden campaign Hispanic caucus report takes stock of accomplishments with eye toward 2021 Democratic lawmakers call for an investigation into allegations of medical neglect at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-Texas) and signed by Reps. Ruben Gallego Ruben GallegoHispanic caucus report takes stock of accomplishments with eye toward 2021 Senators call on Pentagon to reinstate funding for Stars and Stripes newspaper Hispanic Caucus campaign chief to mount leadership bid MORE (D-Ariz.), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.), Adriano Espaillat Adriano de Jesus Espaillat CabralLawmakers call for small business aid at all levels of government The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy On the Money: Administration to ban TikTok, WeChat | House moves toward bill to avoid government shutdown | Coronavirus relief bills boosted GDP, CBO says MORE (D-N.Y.), and Veronica Escobar Veronica EscobarHispanic caucus report takes stock of accomplishments with eye toward 2021 Races heat up for House leadership posts Ahead of a coronavirus vaccine, Mexico's drug pricing to have far-reaching impacts on Americans MORE (D-Texas) was sent to DHS acting Inspector General John V. Kelly and FBI Director Christopher Wray making the request.

ADVERTISEMENT

The lawmakers highlighted that former employees have alleged the organization was unlawfully recruiting and exploiting immigrants without legal status.

“Many of the Trump Organization employees have stepped forward to recount how the Trump Organization setup a pipeline to systematically obtain cheap immigrant labor and hired undocumented immigrants,” they wrote.

“In fact, some of the undocumented workers have stated that the Trump Organization helped them procure the fraudulent documents. Further, many of these workers have described a hostile work environment, including a culture of coercion, mistreatment, and instances of physical abuse.”

They also asked that potential witnesses be protected during the investigation, saying that “any enforcement action by the Department of Homeland Security against these employees could be an obstruction of justice.”

The group said they met with many of the workers and their lawyer earlier this year and were alarmed by what they learned about their working conditions.

There has been new scrutiny on the Trump Organization after reports in recent weeks that potentially dozens of workers at the company's properties have been fired. The reports have raised questions about the company's practices and whether its hiring of undocumented workers was more widespread than believed.

A report in The New York Times in December reported that undocumented workers were at a property in New Jersey. The company conducted a review and has since fired such workers at a number of properties. Eric Trump Eric Frederick TrumpMelania Trump: Ginsburg's 'spirit will live on in all she has inspired' Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Eric Trump says he will comply with New York AG's subpoena only after Election Day MORE, the president's son and an executive at the Trump Organization, confirmed the firings to The Washington Post in February.

The company has defended its hiring practices in the past.

“We have tens of thousands of employees across our properties and have very strict hiring practices,” the Trump Organization said last year.

The lawmakers also questioned why officials are not already looking into the matter.

“We find it alarming that despite multiple news articles, reports, and statements by former workers, and even Congressional requests from Senator [Bob] Menendez [(D-N.J.)] and Congressman [Raul] Grijalva [(D-Ariz.)] for an investigation there currently does not seem to be any criminal or civil investigations into the Trump Organization,” they continued.

The Democratic lawmakers concluded their letter by saying that no one, “including the President of the United States and his company,” is above the law. And they also called for a probe into “the apparent failure of the Department of Homeland Security to initiate an investigation into the Trump Organization.”