WASHINGTON (7News) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials announced the arrest of over 1,000 undocumented workers since Jan. 20 and are warning business owners who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants of prosecution.

As ICE officials ramp up their arrests across the country, they warn business owners that hiring undocumented immigrants is a crime. The agency said it has ramped up worksite enforcement efforts over the past two months.

“Businesses that exploit and hire illegal workers are harming the American public,” said Hammer. “ICE’s statutory duties include protecting Americans and enforcing more than 400 laws that relate to immigration, so there are two aspects to our worksite enforcement operations.”

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ICE's enforcement on worksites over the past couple of months included a large-scale operation in Louisiana that resulted in the arrest of 11 allegedly undocumented immigrants, the arrest of four people in Pennsylvania and 16 others in New Jersey, according to ICE.

“This is the highest rate of arrest in HSI’s history,” said HSI acting Director Robert Hammer. “We’ve subpoenaed the business records of about 1,200 businesses, and as part of our review, we’ve proposed close to $1 million in fines.”

As officials warn businesses, they advise them to "strengthen their hiring practices and ensure 100% compliance with employment eligibility verification" through using IMAGE, an HSI program.