BIRMINGHAM, AL -- An immigration lawyer told Birmingham businesses they must take seriously "no match" letters regarding employees the federal government believes may be working illegally in the U.S.

Robert Divine of Chattanooga, who heads Baker Donelson's immigration practice group, led a workshop in which he said many employers across the country get in trouble by ignoring or failing to respond quickly enough to "no match" letters sent when Social Security numbers used by workers don't match those on file with the Social Security Administration.

The Department of Homeland Security is cracking down on illegal immigrants who use fake federal documents to work in the U.S. In many cases, it is holding businesses who employ them accountable, Divine said. "Many employers ignore `no match' letters, saying it is an employee's problem," he said. "If you get a letter and an employee turns out to be illegal and you did nothing about it, the government will hold you accountable." MORE