Posted on 04/19/2006 3:45:22 PM PDT by HEMICRASHBOX
WASHINGTON - Immigration agents arrested seven executives and hundreds of employees of a manufacturer of crates and pallets Wednesday as part of a crackdown on employers of illegal workers.
Authorities raided offices and plants of IFCO Systems in at least eight states, the culmination of a yearlong criminal investigation, law enforcement officials said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested seven current and former IFCO Systems managers on charges they conspired to transport, harbor and encourage illegal workers to reside in the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain, said Glenn T. Suddaby, the chief federal prosecutor in Albany, N.Y., where some arrests were made.
ICE spokeswoman Jamie Zuieback confirmed an unspecified number of raids and arrests but declined to provide additional details because the investigation was continuing. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity because numbers were still being tallied, said the arrests were in the hundreds.
Raids across the U.S. Raids took place at several locations in upstate New York and in Biglerville, Pa.; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati, Houston, Phoenix, Richmond, Va., and Westborough, Mass.
"ICE has no tolerance for corporate officers who harbor illegal aliens for their work force. Today's nationwide enforcement actions show how we will use all our investigative tools to bring these individuals to justice, no matter how large or small their company," said ICE chief Julie Myers.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Next I can see Trickie Dickie Dirtbin in the well of the senate demanding unemployment compensation for illegals put out of a job.
Omigod that's horrendous. You oought to put a warning on that, somebody could lose their job over it. Fortunately I was playing at home.
Isn't that sort of like racketeering and just what the RICO law was made for? Sure wish Elliot Ness Spitzer was as gungho about busting illegals as he is cigarette smokers.
I've seen Biglerville in the news a few times.
He can get up there in the senate, I could see that, but wait... how do we know they don't already draw unemployment. Hell, they probably do.
Beyond that if you manage to fire them and they come back with papers a few months later, "Look I am legal now!" you will likely have to hire them back. Praying that this time the papers are legitimate. The union does not consider violation of the immigration law to be a good enough reason to permanently fire someone.
A year long investigation? Are you kidding me? A one hour ride in my truck in New Jersey and I'll show them 400 on a slow day! And they can sit and arrest 40-50 contractors who stop and pick them up.! What a joke!!!!
Some might leave, but I believe a large majority will simple head underground to cash businesses, or become self-employed contractors, etc.
There are countless ways to make a living while steering clear of the IRS or immigration agents.
That is why Congress MUST boost penalties (or enforce) for simply BEING in the US illegally, so once an illegal is located, cops have the tools to incarcerate and deport. (Unfortunately, Frist and the GOP wussies lost their gonads recently).
The other business that will further grow is identity theft and ID forgery, UNLESS the Congress creates national fool-proof encrypted ID cards, which I wholeheartedly approve.
Is it budget time at ICE?
That is hundreds of employers being arrested and jailed!
IMO Ms. Myers is in way over her head at ICE.
You say they will leave on their own if they lose their jobs.
I doubt it.Its better to be poor and jobless in America than Mexico.So I think they will just stay here and hustle up work somewhere else in the underground economy.
Damn shame that they do their job so rarely, that it is big news when they do.
I just hope we get control the boarders and deal with existing problems in such a way that both sides are able to win. Like it or not there are quite a few good people in this country who are not legal.
No, me thinks if ICE will send formal letters of intent, asking the Company to provide detailed informations about it's work force, would be a better deterrent.
Pretty much like an audit, not for the financial branch but for the Human Resources branch.
Go by the book, you're good to go, if not, you're screwed!
Just like the IRS.
The Rules/Laws are out here, just ENFORCE THE DAMN THINGS! and we all be in good shape!
The more pressure we keep on Mexico, immigration-wise, the more reformers
inside of Mexico can be emboldened and empowered to scale back monopolists'
abuses down there which keep our own country flooded with economic refugees.
Here's an interesting new thread on new legal reform progress that finally
emerged in Mexico I think as a result of immigration reform's failure:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1611677/posts
We can make a difference for our sake, and their's as well. Isn't it the
neighborly thing to do?
I know what you are talking about. I got the police and INS in to bust illegals and they issued 11 citations on the owners for violations. However, the absentee landlord is in Greece and he ignored them.
"I just hope we get control the boarders and deal with existing problems in such a way that both sides are able to win"
Do they need a place to start? I suggest Iowa Beef Packers plants and Tyson Chicken plants.
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