Posted on 08/26/2005 9:33:18 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (AP) - As part of a crackdown on undocumented workers employed in sites deemed important to national security, immigration officials arrested six men they said were Mexican nationals working for a company that helps build military housing.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents apprehended the men as they arrived for work Friday at Fort Irwin, east of Barstow. The agency said the men worked for Laurence-Hovenier, Inc., a Corona-based company that does construction framing for housing at the Army base.
The company's Fred Hovenier said his business didn't hire anyone without proper documentation.
"If they were working for us, they provided us with the necessary documents," he said.
At least one of the men arrested had a counterfeit green card, officials said. But the agency also said an audit of hiring records found that more than 40 percent of those on the company's payroll may not have been authorized to work in the United States.
"We are continuing to investigate," agency spokeswoman Virginia Kice said.
The arrests were part of a wider effort targeting businesses that provide workers for such sensitive locations as airports and military bases. The agency says unauthorized workers could be exploited by terrorists, smugglers, or traffickers.
Fort Irwin is home to the National Training Center for Army brigade combat teams, the agency said.
The names of the men arrested were not released. One of the men had illegally re-entered the United States after being deported and is subject to criminal prosecution, the agency said.
The others will either be voluntarily returned to Mexico or deported there after facing immigration charges, the agency said.
The men's names were not released.
fyi
The company's Fred Hovenier said his business didn't hire anyone without proper documentation.
"If they were working for us, they provided us with the necessary documents," he said.
At least one of the men arrested had a counterfeit green card, officials said. But the agency also said an audit of hiring records found that more than 40 percent of those on the company's payroll may not have been authorized to work in the United States.
If it turns out this isn't true, I hope Mr. Hovenier spends some time behind bars for violating federal law.
Perhaps that will serve notice on other construction companies that hire Criminal Aliens.
Agreed. They need to start nailing the people who employ them.
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As part of a crackdown on undocumented workers employed in sites deemed important to national security, immigration officials arrested six men they said were Mexican nationals working for a company that helps build military housing.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents apprehended the men as they arrived for work Friday at Fort Irwin, east of Barstow.
Can we hire some ILLEGAL aliens to provide base security, and maybe operate our nuclear missile silos, too? Get them some spanish documents on how to decode the launch signals, etc...
They have even been arrested working in at least one nucelear power plant, on commercial aircraft engines, and also at least two other federal military installations on the East coast that I am aware of.
Heading straight for the iceberg now, cap'n.
Here's a sheriff who agrees with you.
Illegal Aliens Taken Into Custody In Wheeling[Sheriff] Burgoyne said there is a potential for a number of illegal aliens in Ohio County because of the number of construction projects in the area. Burgoyne said he is asking for the public to report any illegal aliens found residing or working in the area.
"I have discussed the potential problem in the building and trades industry," he said. "If we learn of them working we are going to pay the construction site a visit and talk with the contractor involved and remove them from the site. I think the people who employ the illegals should be penalized also."
Thank you for alerting me to the other post. IMHO, the idea of going after the employers of Criminal Aliens seems to be growing some legs, finally. It seems to me that if we deny the Criminal Aliens jobs they will likely go home. Oh, not all of them, of course. But think what a relief it would be if just 60% of them went home.
This is starting to REALLY PI$$ ME OFF!!
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Starting??? :-)
What is the difference between a Korean repairing the roofs on homes on a military base in Korea and a Korean repairing roofs on a military base in Texas?
Has there ever been an breach of security incident involving a illegal laborer on a military reservation?
What do you think one can do? Steal a B52?
Just more anti-immigrant hysteria.
Well, in Korea, Koreans are legally allowed to work. In Texas, they might require something called a VISA to do so.
Has there ever been an breach of security incident involving a illegal laborer on a military reservation?
Maybe not, but should we wait until there is before ensuring people who come onto a base are authorized to do so and be in the country LEGALLY? Especially in a time of war?
What do you think one can do? Steal a B52?
Pull out your dictionary and look up the word E-S-P-I-O-N-A-G-E, especially if we don't know who the workers really are.
Fine this damned company into the ground.
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