Trump's pick to head Labor Department admits he employed an undocumented immigrant

Andrew Puzder.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

President Trump's pick for labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, admitted in a statement on Monday that he once hired an undocumented immigrant to work for his family.

"My wife and I employed a housekeeper for a few years, during which I was unaware that she was not legally permitted to work in the U.S.," acknowledged Puzder, the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, confirming a report in The Huffington Post. "When I learned of her status, we immediately ended her employment and offered her assistance in getting legal status. We have fully paid back taxes to the IRS and the state of California and submitted all required paperwork."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.