New employer playbook maps steps when immigration agents appear at worksites

A new operational playbook gives HR teams, store managers, and worker advocates a detailed roadmap for handling immigration enforcement at the workplace. The guide breaks down what employers should do before, during, and after an agent visit, and it spells out workers' rights in plain language so employees can act confidently under pressure.

For managers and supervisors the guidance stresses preparing a written response plan and training staff to refuse entry to nonpublic employee-only areas unless agents present a judicial warrant. It emphasizes the importance of verifying the type of warrant presented, distinguishing judicial warrants from administrative orders that do not automatically permit entry into private workspaces. Employers are advised to document every contact with immigration authorities, including who was present, what was asked, and to preserve surveillance footage and other physical evidence that could be crucial later.

The guide also recommends immediate on-scene coordination with legal counsel and community rapid-response networks, and lays out post-event actions such as offering support, documenting any workplace disruption, managing leave requests, and providing referrals to legal services. It includes recommended checklists for immediate preparedness and follow-up, and practical templates managers can adapt for store-level policies and communications.

For workers the resource underscores core rights: the right to remain silent, the right to ask for an attorney, and the right to deny entry to employee-only areas absent a judicial warrant. It promotes Know Your Rights trainings and multilingual materials so non-English-speaking employees understand their options, and it stresses the value of giving employees clear contacts for legal help and community support networks before any enforcement encounter.

The playbook also covers Form I-9 audits, detailing employer obligations and timelines that differ from on-site enforcement visits. That section explains documentation requirements and steps employers should take when immigration authorities initiate compliance checks, helping reduce exposure to penalties while protecting worker privacy and rights.

For a large retail employer and its stores, adopting these steps can change how an ICE encounter unfolds. Training frontline teams on how to verify warrants and who to call, locking down nonpublic areas, and preserving footage can limit disruption and legal risk while signaling to employees that the company has protocols in place to protect them.

What this means for Target workers and managers is actionable: invest time now in a written response plan, run KYR trainings in the languages your team uses most, designate legal and community contacts, and practice documentation procedures. Implementing the guide’s checklists will make responses more consistent and reduce the uncertainty that follows enforcement visits.