Posted on 04/20/2006 7:31:59 PM PDT by andie74
WASHINGTON, April 20 - The apprehension on Wednesday of more than 1,100 illegal immigrants employed by a Houston-based pallet supply company, as well as the arrest of seven of its managers, represents the kickoff of a more aggressive federal immigration enforcement campaign intended to hold employers accountable for breaking the law, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said today.
Saying the hiring by companies nationwide of millions of undocumented workers is often a form of organized crime, Mr. Chertoff, a former federal prosecutor, said the government will now attempt to combat the practice with techniques similar to those used to try to shut down the mob.
The news conference came the day after immigration officials apprehended 1,187 illegal immigrants who worked in 26 states for IFCO Systems North America, a company that supplies plastic and wood pallets used to ship everything from produce to pet food.
Company supervisors knowingly hired illegal immigrants, provided them with housing and transportation to and from work, and even reimbursed one undercover agent for the cost of obtaining fraudulent identity documents, Homeland Security Department officials said.
An examination of the company's payroll of 5,800 employees found that just over half of them had Social Security numbers that were either invalid, belong to a dead person or did not match up with names on file, investigators said.
The investigation started in February 2005, when agents received a tip that IFCO workers in Guilderland, N.Y., were seen ripping up federal tax-related employment verification forms, and that an assistant manager present explained that the workers were illegal immigrants who did not intend to file tax returns.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Wonder how they registered to vote?
Illegal "immigrants" is an oxymoron.
Let's see if they keep this sort of thing up.
"Company supervisors knowingly hired illegal immigrants, provided them with housing and transportation to and from work..."
And yet STILL they are cheaper than American workers? I just want to know HOW MANY LAWS ARE BEING BROKEN?
The only thing that would make me happier is if INS started rounding up people at these rallies. It seems like a no-brainer...they're all in one place, so what would it take?
Should our politicians even pay attention? They're not voting citizens...or are they???
Well, if one of them gets hurt, there is no one to contact regarding workers' compensation, so it probably is cheaper.
No payroll taxes to pay, no SS, no benefits like health insurance. No OSHA requirements. Can you think of others?
Hint:
November elections are coming and I suspect this crack down
is a pacification ploy...hope it keeps up and I am wrong!
Separately, the department is adding 20 additional special teams of investigators — creating a total of 52 of these teams — to search for some of the 590,000 immigrants in the country who have ignored orders to leave.
It also is working with state and local officials to try to identify and if possible deport a large share of the estimated 630,000 foreign-born individuals who are arrested on criminal charges and put into jail.
I thought of this today. If the wall is built, they'll probably use illegals to help build it. Irony at its best!
Think I will call in a few tips to them tomorrow. Then set back and see what happens. Know of 60 that got fired when new management took over this one business because they all had the same SS number. Then they all went to work for different company.
20,000,000 - 1,000 = a long way to go
Oh wow let the games begin. This is nothing more than a dog and pony show. Seems the ones that were arrested in Houston were back on the street in less than 5 hours. This is nothing more than window dressing for the masses. Looks like the administration has gotten a message and figure a couple of high profile stories like this will take the pressure off.
The apprehension on Wednesday of more than 1,100 illegal
No holidays ( cept maybe May 5th ), ot paid at regular wage, fewer and shorter breaks, no raises, no complaints.
If this isn't a RICO case, nothing is! Let's hope Gonzales' Justice Department uses every tool in the RICO law including confiscating every last cent and asset these criminals own. Let's see how the corporate big wigs are treated. That will tell how seriously the administration takes the rule of law.
Another good reason to ditch Social Security.
To regain economic and homeland security the US government must free the markets, lower taxes and regulations on domestic businesses, and send the illegals packing.
Not that long if they keep arresting management of the companies who hire illegals. The word will get out on that one real quick like and when there are fewer jobs available, there will be fewer try to come here illegally.
Bad PR. The MSM would play it as inhumane, etc. Better to pick them off where they work, and arrest their supervisors at the same time.
It would play as inhumane. But it would also make me happier!
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