It's not that 7-Eleven franchisees are being investigate for hiring illegal immigrants, it's that the corporate office might be using this as a way to intimidate franchise owners it doesn't like.

'Still, franchisees, after years of conflict with the company, went from suspicious to paranoid when word spread that ICE had shown up at stores run by men and women who were in legal disputes with 7-Eleven or were prominent critics of [CEO Joseph ] DePinto.'