WASHINGTON ?EUR??,,????'??+ Federal lawsuits alleging Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act violations are on the rise against employers who have unauthorized workers on their workforce. Because of its intentionally broad provisions, RICO has been used against an array of entities ?EUR??,,????'??+ now including employers ?EUR??,,????'??+ who are not even remotely related to RICO?EUR??,,????'???s original intent of fighting organized crime. Since RICO action involves triple damages plus litigation costs, as well as the stigma attached to violating a law directed at organized crime. As noted in a recent ?EUR??,,????'??Wall Street Journal?EUR??,,????'?? article, plaintiffs?EUR??,,????'??? lawyers firms, with the encouragement of anti-immigrant forces such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), see RICO litigation as a potential lawyers?EUR??,,????'??? bonanza, similar to tobacco litigation. Recent examples of RICO actions against employers signal a striking increase in private litigants?EUR??,,????'??? use of RICO lawsuits to penalize employers with undocumented aliens in their workforces. The full outcomes and ultimate employer exposure to such claims remain to be seen.