Posted on 12/13/2006 11:32:02 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - More than 1,200 people were arrested in meatpacking plants in six states during raids that federal officials said amounted to the largest-ever workplace crackdown on illegal immigration.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday the investigation uncovered a "disturbing front" in the war against illegal immigration, in which illegal immigrants are using the identities of U.S. citizens to obtain jobs.
"Violations of our immigration laws and privacy rights often go hand in hand," he said. "Enforcement actions like this one protect the privacy rights of innocent Americans while striking a blow against illegal immigration."
The raids at Swift & Co. plants across the country resulted in 1,282 arrests, including 1,217 on immigration charges and 65 on criminal charges such as identity theft. Chertoff said the investigation is continuing into several groups that may have sold identity documents to illegal immigrants.
The arrested workers were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, Laos, Sudan, Ethiopia and other countries.
During a raid Tuesday at the Swift plant in Greeley, Colo., a frustrated Tony Garcia watched as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swarmed inside to arrest illegal immigrants. "We need help, we need answers," he said, questioning who would take care of the children whose parents were arrested.
The raids followed a 10-month investigation into illegal immigrants suspected of buying or stealing other people's identities to secure U.S. jobs. The scheme may have had hundreds victims, officials said.
Immigration officials last month informed Swift that it would remove unauthorized workers on Dec. 4, but Swift asked a federal judge to prevent agents from conducting the raid, arguing it would cause "substantial and irreparable injury" to its business.
The company estimated a raid would remove up to 40 percent of its 13,000 workers. Greeley-based Swift describes itself as the world's second-largest meat processor with sales of about $9 billion.
After a closed hearing, a judge on Thursday rejected Swift's request, clearing the way for Tuesday's raids at the plants in Greeley; Grand Island; Cactus, Texas; Hyrum, Utah; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Worthington, Minn.
The six plants represent all of Swift's domestic beef processing capacity and 77 percent of its pork processing capacity.
Advocates of stricter immigration control praised the raids and pointed out that they targeted people suspected of committing other crimes in addition to being in the U.S. illegally.
"I'm glad that ICE is enforcing our immigration laws in light of the illegal immigration crisis we face across the country," Sen. Wayne Allard (news, bio, voting record), R-Colo., said in a statement.
Others called the raids heavy-handed and criticized the effect on families.
"They are taking mothers and fathers, and we're really concerned about the children," said the Rev. Clarence Sandoval of St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church in Logan, Utah. "I'm getting calls from mothers saying they don't know where their husband was taken."
United Food and Commercial International Workers union spokeswoman Jill Cashen told the Post workers taken from the Worthington, Minn., plant were bused to South Dakota.
She said Tuesday that attorneys for the union would ask federal judges in all six states for injunctions to halt the raids.
Mexico's Foreign Relations Department also pledged to ensure that any Mexicans caught up in the raids have "their human rights fully respected, and are given all the necessary assistance, orientation and consular protection."
No charges were filed against Swift.
In a written statement, President and CEO Sam Rovit said the company has never knowingly hired illegal workers and does not condone the practice.
Swift uses a government pilot program to confirm whether Social Security numbers are valid. Company officials have raised questions about the program's ability to detect when two people are using the same number.
Immigration agents have also staged immigration raids at poultry plants in the South. In July 2005, nearly 120 people were arrested at an Arkadelphia, Ark., facility. Three months ago, agents raided a poultry plant in Stillmore, Ga., arresting a similar number who worked there or lived in surrounding counties and busing them to immigration courts in Atlanta, 189 miles away.
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Associated Press Writer Kim Nguyen contributed to this story.
don't you know it's a One World Gubmint now?
no borders, peace, love and multiculturalism.
It is, but these guys basically have to be proven to be here illegally unless they waive. Will require a hearing at minimum.
Same reason why you wouldn't want to be arrested and shipped over the border without a chance to prove your citizenship. Repeat 12 million times and you can see how the problem will never be solved unless you come up with some voluntary plan.
They are not US citizens and thus do not have Constitutional rights.
The feds notified Swift a month in advance that the raids were coming. The 40% figure may have resulted from information the feds either gave to Swift or gave to the court when Swift filed for relief. It doesn't make sense to me that a Swift manager would openly admit that Swift breaks the law in 40% of its hires.
mmmmm..gee we never thought of that...
How do you know? See post above.
.....Rev. Clarence Sandoval of St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church in Logan, Utah.......
Who gets his marching orders from a Bishop in direct contact with a Cardinal who gets orders from the vatican
"Swift is a victim, not a perpetrator."
Give me a break! They're employing 5200 illegals and other assorted criminals, have known for weeks they might be raided and have lied when they said they didn't realize these were illegals. Plus, these illegals are working for half the pay.
Yeah, I thought going to court to stop the raid meant they were "knowingly" about something.
"1,282 arrests, including 1,217 on immigration charges and 65 on criminal charges"
Imagine how many we would have grabbed if Swift had not been given a heads up!
Which post ?
If the Feds identified them because of suspected fraud with SS numbers I'm sure they will be able to produce their SS cards, drivers licenses, birth certificates, US passports etc, and to explain why their employment name does not match the other name on the SS number.
See, it's simple, really.
Why wasn't Swift charged?
"If they were seriously going to do something about the identity theft, please tell me why this was handled by ICE and not by the justice department?"
That's what I was thinking. I believe the company claimed they had NO IDEA so, logic would tell you they all had illegal documentation.
"Why punish Swift? They followed the correct procedure for checking validity of SS numbers. They haven't even been charged with anything. With the information we have so far, Swift is a victim, not a perpetrator."
Swift is very culpable here, read the following quotes;
"Immigration officials last month informed Swift that it would remove unauthorized workers on Dec. 4, but Swift asked a federal judge to prevent agents from conducting the raid, arguing it would cause "substantial and irreparable injury" to its business.
The company estimated a raid would remove up to 40 percent of its 13,000 workers."
"In a written statement, President and CEO Sam Rovit said the company has never knowingly hired illegal workers and does not condone the practice."
That last statement is a laugher, how can they complain to the courts that these raids will hurt their business if they don't knowingly hire illegals? They complained about the raids because they know their workforce is made up in large part by illegals. The CEO and the rest of the leadership of Swift need to pay steep fines and spend time being Bubba's girlfriend in prision. Until the Govt makes an example of these traitors, this crap will keep on happening. Swift is lying through their teeth, and everyone knows it, but they will continue to be allowed to play this deadly game.
There's the problem, they're arresting the wrong people!
How does that make it simple? If they want their day in court, they will get one. Lots of people use false identity. Go to some liquor store and ask the clerk how many lily-white kids try to use a fake id to buy booze.
If they lawyer up, they'll get in the system and will stay there for quite some time. Maybe they have kids born in US, maybe they can prove some familial ancestry, they need a continuance, etc. It is not as simple as you think.
I'd say they are arresting the right people; just not enough of the right people.
It's probably easier to build a case against those using stolen identities than it is to investigate Swift's hiring practices.
They will simply be replaced by new workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, Laos, Sudan and other countries, until such time as some of the arrested workers include Americans in the management and HR offices responsible for knowingly hiring workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, Laos, Sudan and other countries.
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