Report: Over 160 hired at Massachusetts Market Basket location are unauthorized workers

A new report this week sheds more light on suspended employees at a Massachusetts Market Basket.

According to MassLive, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, through its Homeland Security Investigations unit, conducted an audit at the Market Basket located on Sawyer Street in New Bedford, identifying 167 employees as unauthorized to work in the United States.

This audit involved reviewing I-9 employment eligibility verification forms, and on June 25, 2025, HSI served Market Basket with a Notice of Suspect Documents, highlighting discrepancies in the workers’ paperwork.

As a result, Market Basket suspended at least 47 of these employees, many of whom are immigrants, pending resolution of their documentation issues.

The suspensions were confirmed by a Market Basket spokesperson, who stated that the company is cooperating with federal authorities and that affected workers have been given time to provide valid documentation.

According to NBC 10 Boston, some suspended employees, including a former cashier who spoke publicly, expressed frustration, claiming they had provided what they believed were proper documents during hiring and describing the process as abrupt and dehumanizing, with one worker stating, “We’re not disposable.”

The incident has drawn attention from immigrant advocacy groups, who argue that the audits disproportionately affect vulnerable communities in New Bedford.

Reports suggest the operation may be tied to broader enforcement efforts under the Trump administration.

DHS did not specify exact locations beyond the New Bedford store in its statements, but local reporting confirmed the focus there.

The situation remains ongoing, with no reports of arrests or deportations directly stemming from this audit, though advocates have raised concerns about potential further actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.