A Unique Litigation Boutique Dedicated to Top-Tier Service

Did you know that it is generally illegal for an employer to ask about an applicant’s immigration status during a job interview? If you suspect that you were discriminated against or mistreated due to assumptions about your immigration status, call Bonnaig & Associates, LLC.

We are a small firm in Tribeca that is dedicated to the level of service that big firms provide. Members of our team have lived all over the world, making us more understanding of immigrants from other cultures. We are passionate about fighting for those who are mistreated by big corporations. When we take on a case, we leave no stone unturned and press on to the end.

Who Is Protected from Immigration Status Discrimination?

If you are a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident that applied for naturalization within 6 months of eligibility, an asylee, or a refugee, you are protected from discrimination under federal laws, including the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Examples of Citizenship Status Discrimination

It is illegal to knowingly hire an undocumented immigrant to work in the United States. However, legal immigrants with proper paperwork proving their status should not be barred from jobs on the basis of their race, background, or immigration status.

Some examples of this type of discrimination include:

⦁ Refusing to hire someone because they are not a U.S. citizen
⦁ Passing over an immigrant applicant because of the hassle of extra paperwork
⦁ Being required to present extra and unnecessary paperwork for a job because of ethnicity
⦁ Refusing to honor immigration paperwork that appears to be legal in order to pass over an applicant

Companies are required to verify the eligibility of all employees. However, they are typically only allowed to do this after offering the applicant a job. Once the job offer has been presented, they may inform that candidate that they will need to verify his or her identity and eligibility to work in the United States. An IRS Form-I-9 will take care of all of these details.

A Team Concentrated on Employment & Immigration Law

Our focus is on employment law and immigration law. Citizenship status discrimination is a unique blend of our two areas of expertise. We can use both our intimate knowledge of immigration policy and our detailed background in employment case law.