WASHINGTON (November 20, 2009)--A nationwide review of about 1,000 employers to check for the hiring of illegal immigrants will include more than 160 businesses in Texas.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the audits late Thursday.

They will include some businesses connected to public safety and national security.

ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda in San Antonio says 161 businesses in Texas will be included in the nationwide review, including about 60 in the San Antonio area.

About 40 in the Houston area also have been notified that their paperwork will face inspection.

The government has not released the names of the companies.

The Department of Homeland Security will give a seal of approval to businesses volunteering to use a pending electronic program, called E-Verify, to check the immigration status of workers.