Illegal Workers Swept From Jobs in ‘Silent Raids’

The New York Times ^ | July 9, 2010 | JULIA PRESTON

[Bad~Rodeo]

BREWSTER, Wash. — The Obama administration has replaced immigration raids at factories and farms with a quieter enforcement strategy: sending federal agents to scour companies’ records for illegal immigrant workers.

Guest workers, like those above, have replaced more than 500 undocumented workers fired in December from Gebbers Farms in Brewster, Wash.

While the sweeps of the past commonly led to the deportation of such workers, the “silent raids,” as employers call the audits, usually result in the workers being fired, but in many cases they are not deported.

Over the past year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted audits of employee files at more than 2,900 companies. The agency has levied a record $3 million in civil fines so far this year on businesses that hired unauthorized immigrants, according to official figures. Thousands of those workers have been fired, immigrant groups estimate.

Employers say the audits reach more companies than the work-site roundups of the administration of President George W. Bush. The audits force businesses to fire every suspected illegal immigrant on the payroll— not just those who happened to be on duty at the time of a raid — and make it much harder to hire other unauthorized workers as replacements. Auditing is “a far more effective enforcement tool,” said Mike Gempler, executive director of the Washington Growers League, which includes many worried fruit growers.

María Cervantes is a former Gebbers Farms employee.

Immigration inspectors who pored over the records of one of those growers, Gebbers Farms, found evidence that more than 500 of its workers, mostly immigrants from Mexico, were in the country illegally. In December, Gebbers Farms, based in this Washington orchard town, fired the workers.

“Instead of hundreds of agents going after one

[Sacajaweau]

But they don't deport them...So what is the object????

Ahhh...Fine the WHITE company owner.

[cripplecreek]

While the sweeps of the past commonly led to the deportation of such workers, the “silent raids,” as employers call the audits, usually result in the workers being fired, but in many cases they are not deported.

Its so much easier for the SEIU to unionize while they're here and then they can get back to work. In fact I suspect the SEIU is involved in these "raids" somehow.

[FrankR]

[FreedomNotSafety]

It's a three-fer...look tough on illegal immigration while leaving them in the country as future Democratic voters while penalizing a business. Maybe its a four-fer...add exacerbating the immigration crisis (which wont go to waste) by letting illegals stay in the country without a means of supporting themselves thereby forcing them into crime, stressing charities, and destroying the goodwill of the rest of us.

Given their agenda, it is a brillant move for the democrats.

[cripplecreek]

LOL

[nmh]

Bute wait, didn’t they NIX veri-check?

If they did, I don’t believe they can fine the employer.

[Bad~Rodeo]

What the hell?.....LOL~

[nmh]

Yes, SEIU has their eye on them. They are the next group to be “protected”. At first unons protected WHITES and disriminated AGAINST BLACKS. Now WHITES are out and BLACKS are on their way out because Hispanics will work even CHEAPER and need their “protection”. Plus the Hispnaics will VOTE for them, legally or not, and GROW THEY UNIONS and keep the Demoncrats in power. Why DEPROT them when you NEED THEIR VOTE to LEGALIZE them!

[Bad~Rodeo]

DEM GOVS WARN: OBAMA SUIT VS. AZ IS 'TOXIC'

NYT: In private weekend meetings with White House, Dem governors voice deep anxiety about suit against AZ immigration law, worrying it could cost party in fall elections... Developing...

[nmh]

Yes ...!

SEIU Represents Undocumented Workers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLDXwwZUy_s

Plus later they will VOTE for Demoncrats!

[dalebert]

oh sure...we are overun with them here..tysons and the town fathers have shipped them to do everything from clean chicken, farm produce for the local super market ...garden for the rich and work for lumber endustry. people are being run out of their homes by illegals claiming this is their country.

[nmh]

Nah, it’s better than that ->

Illegal Immigrants Part of SEIU Membership

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlsScws6xUc

[dalebert]

oh sure...we are overun with them here..tysons and the town fathers have shipped them to do everything from clean chicken, farm produce for the local super market ...garden for the rich and work for lumber endustry. people are being run out of their homes by illegals claiming this is their country.and I am not in a border state.

[VictoryGal]

But they don't deport them...So what is the object???? Ahhh...Fine the WHITE company owner.

The WHITE company owner is breaking the law too. And if every company felt the cost of employing illegals and it outweighed the cost of hiring American citizens, and they decided not to give work to illegals anymore, guess who would not have a reason to come over to the U. S.?

I'm no 0bama fan but even a broken clock is right twice a day. The stealth raids work a lot better than the overt ones. I'm for what works in our fight to maintain our borders.

[cripplecreek]

So what do you suppose happens to the fired non deported illegals?

Personally I suspect a deal is offered to the company to allow the newly unionized illegals to return to work and the fine imposed on the criminal employer is minimized.

[calex59]

Personally I like the raids. I love to hear them screaming “La Migra” and see them running like he** trying to get away.

[Prokopton]

So what do you suppose happens to the fired non deported illegals?

Lots of taxpayer supported welfare, healthcare and incarceration costs.

[VictoryGal]

You’re probably right. I should know better than to expect anything good to happen from this administration.

[HiJinx]

Ping!