IN THE MIDST OF A NATIONAL DEBATE ON IMMIGRATION REFORM, THE US GOVERNMENT SAID THURSDAY IT WOULD GET TOUGHER ON ILLEGAL WORKERS AND COMPANIES THAT KNOWINGLY EMPLOY THEM, DPA REPORTED. THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) SAID THE CRACKDOWN WOULD AIM TO "REVERSE THE TOLERANCE OF ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE US." UNDERLINING THE NEW POLICY, DHS SAID SEVEN MANAGERS OF A NATIONWIDE COMPANY THAT EMPLOYED HUNDREDS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAD BEEN ARRESTED. SEARCHES OF 40 OF THE COMPANY'S PLANTS ALSO RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF 1,187 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. DHS IDENTIFIED THE COMPANY AS IFCO SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA INC, BASED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. --More 2327 Local Time 2027 GMT