It's prison for leader of illegal labor ring

The Memphis Commercial-Appeal ^ | 15 March 2003 | Bill Dries

[archy]

It's prison for leader of illegal labor ring

By Bill Dries
dries@gomemphis.com
March 15, 2003

San Antonio, Texas, labor contractor David Cantu Jr. was sentenced Friday to four years in prison for heading a scheme to bring 150 illegal aliens to work on FedEx Corp.'s world headquarters at Hacks Cross and Winchester.

U.S. Dist. Court Judge Hardy Mays also ordered Cantu, owner and managing partner of Brother's Construction II, to pay more than $860,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and to forfeit another $10 million.

Asst. U.S. Atty. Linda Nettles Harris said the restitution represents payroll taxes that should have been paid by the illegal workers.

"I think that this sentence sends a message that the use of illegal aliens will not be tolerated," Harris said.

Cantu, who pleaded guilty in December to charges of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, money laundering and failure to file payroll taxes, brought 150 illegal aliens to Memphis from October 1998 to April 2000. Cantu also paid the rent on numerous apartments where the aliens stayed.

The men were hired as drywall workers on the $250 million FedEx construction project.

Cantu told the general contractor on the project that the laborers were independent contractors.

"He did that to evade taxes," Harris said.

A federal investigation began when the Immigration and Naturalization Service raided the construction site and four apartment complexes in February 2000, arresting180 illegal aliens.

- Bill Dries: 529-2643

[FreeTheHostages]

Actually, the umpire already ruled it out of bounds. But I'm happy to try to explain. Then I got to leave and do actual real-world activism -- we're in the midst of a flurry of support our troops rallies here in DC, OK?

Lessee:

(2) The networks would interrupt their programming to say if they weren't overwhelmingly liberal.

Nope, it's not breaking. It's news all right, but it's not something that, say, FOX would break into regular programming for.

(3) Something that honestly would (not should, would) be of interest to majority of self-described conservatives.

I think the subtext on this is that it *would* be of interest as breaking news. If they just mean of interest period, well, everything would be breaking news.

Look, the Old Professer is right, hall monitors *do* trip and fall. Y'all shouldn't take offense, I've had my stuff yanked too. LOL, I'm no goody two-shoes, trust me. I'm just saying -- and if it bugs you I'm sorry 'cause I don't mean no offense -- I'm just saying that as the admins say, especially nowadays in these times of war, let's have an exacting standard for breaking news.

Just an idea. Now, the umpire -- and I'm not she -- has ruled on this one, and I think we should continue action on the field.

Off to my activist threads I go, bidding you good day.

[4Freedom]

Did you read those guidelines you posted? Tell me this news isn't of interest to the majority of conservative FReepers.

That would be guideline #3, if you'd rather not trouble yourself to read them all.

[FreeTheHostages]

Sigh, my response to that was "I think the subtext on this is that it *would* be of interest as breaking news. If they just mean of interest period, well, everything would be breaking news."

I have a new guideline for you: You really really shouldn't take this as *all* that seriously. I was trying to be helpful, not angry, in pointing this out to Archy. I did find his post worthwhile. It's my own personal guideline, so I suppose I shan't patrol this thread to see if you follow it, but for my part, seriously, I really *am* doing activist work today. Support Our Troops, y'know?

[4Freedom]

I believe you and possibly the moderator that pulled this thread were in the 3% of Freepers that believe immigration is no big deal.

After decades of inaction by the feds, in respect to employers of illegal aliens, there's finally some action.

This is 'breaking news'.

[archy]

This place is thick with illegals.

You should see southern California, they're in the millions here (and the California taxpayers know it).

Wait until they take over politically and throw JimRob and the other gringos out.

Or kill off a few of the gringos and scare them off.

-archy-/-

[archy]

I have seen more mexicans in iowa than I did in baja.

True enough, though seasonal. You may also wish to note that the third-largest Spanish-speaking city in the world now, after Mexico City D.F. and Buenos Aires, is Chicago, Illinois- well ahead of Los Angeles.

-archy-/-

[Old Professer]

I left 20542 Leadwell St in Canoga Park, Ca. in 1994 10 months after the earthquake which epicenter was 1 mile from my house; the house next door had 7 adults and sundry visitors all from Mexico and Salvador (undocumented renters).

My daughter went by there two years ago visiting friends in Woodland Hills and the whole street was trashed, including the house we used to live in; she almost cried.

Now I live in the Percy Priest Lake area of Nashville, and all around me are trailer parks and apartments that rent by the week, no questions asked; pawn shops, tote-the-note Bondo-bucket car lots, Title loan storefronts, payday check kiting parlors, tatoo rattraps and bodegas on every corner and growing.

What's a grizzled curmudgeon to do?

[FreeTheHostages]

The experience of Latinos in Florida is that they're just as likely to vote Republican. I think the future of the Republican party *has* to include reaching out to the Latino vote.

here's a fun fact: don't assume that all Latinos are big on illegal immigration. I know people who went through that naturalization process who think everyone else should too and no one should get a break. Some latinos can be just as good as the gringos on the immigration issue.

[4Freedom]

Unfortunately, the Jones Act of 1917 bestowed 'statutory' U.S. citizenship on all Puerto Ricans.

Regardless of the language they speak or of their feelings of divided loyalty.

Puerto Rico @ National Geographic Magazine

[FreeTheHostages]

Well, there's another issue. I know a lot of Puerto Ricans who are *very* certain they are US citizens and abhor the independence movement. Actually, Puerto Rico gets a good deal from the US in terms and aid and all. Nothing to complain about there.

[Old Professer]

My next-door neighbor here in Nashville is a Catholic Egyptian on a political-refugee card -- can't speak enough English to borrow the right tool when his overloaded plumbing system stops up.

He spends his days at auctions only to put out the worthless "finds" on the curb for passers-by to pick through - between yesterday and today he has dragged out an old Christmas tree, a big-screen console T.V., a dryer, a 27" T.V., a chest freezer and assorted fast-food wrappers that apparently fell from his car.

The grass will be growing soon and once again I will be witness to the spectacle of this misfit pushing his lawnmower in his barefeet.

[archy]

The experience of Latinos in Florida is that they're just as likely to vote Republican. I think the future of the Republican party *has* to include reaching out to the Latino vote.

The experience of Latinos in Florida is that they're just as likely to vote Republican. I think the future of the Republican party *has* to include reaching out to the Latino vote.

As generally and often do I, having attended primary school in Havana and Santa Clara in Cuba. But cheapening the votes of those who earned their citizenship the hard way by offering blanket amnesty to illegal alien voters is most unlikely to produce the result you describe, and adds weight to the arguments of those who note no particular difference between the corrupt practices of the Democratic party and the Republicans.

-archy-/-

[Old Professer]

Unfortunately, the Jones Act of 1917 bestowed 'statutory' U.S. citizenship on all Puerto Ricans.

I know that, these "Puerto Ricans" weren't from the islands.

That was a cover story for the people who couldn't help but notice the language problem.

[FreeTheHostages]

"But cheapening the votes of those who earned their citizenship the hard way by offering blanket amnesty to illegal alien voters is most unlikely to produce the result you describe"

I agree

I'm just saying, apart from that, Republican party's gotta keep the outreaching going to *citizens* of all stripes.

[FITZ]

here's a fun fact: don't assume that all Latinos are big on illegal immigration.

I sure don't because I know very many who are against massive immigration ---including some immigrants themselves who don't really like seeing this place looking just like the place they tried to leave. Also I think the Republican Party needs to realize that "hispanic" is kind of a fake grouping and that working middle class "hispanics" and/or conservative "hispanics" really only have the same issues that all other working middle class and/or conservatives have. When they look for "hispanic" issues to cater too, they should realize those are everyone's issues, jobs, economy, abortion, good schools, the Constitution, gun rights etc.

[4Freedom]

"The experience of the Latinos in Florida is that they're just as likely to vote Republican."

The truth of it is that 80% to 90% of Puerto Ricans voted Democrat, while the same percentages of Cubans voted Republican, effectively cancelling each other out.

Take a look at the Republican website. The Liberal programs that the Bush brothers, Karl Rove and the Republican National Committee are embracing to woo the Latino voters, that traditionally vote Democrat, are going to lose them everyone else.

If it's still true that more than 60% of American citizens of Latino descent are against illegal immigration, as indicated in recent polls, then the Republican Party isn't for them.

[FreeTheHostages]

I'd agree with the caveat that some of these hispanic working class groups can be very religious so the conservative values platform can appeal to them greatly.

[FITZ]

It sounds like there might be some right moves being made. They arrested a big drug king-pin in Mexico, they seem possibly to be going after some of the cartels ---you can tell there are things going on because for several months now the drug executions have been way up ---lately in Juarez it's a dead body found every day ---drug related so no loss ---but there is a blood bath going on.

[FITZ]

Of course some of them aren't very religious too ---but they're going to vote democrat no matter what because that's what they are. Reagan never seemed to use racial politics and I think that was the right approach ---and no Republican has matched his percentages of the minority vote since.

[janetgreen]

Wait until they take over politically

Don't have to wait, it's happening already. It seems that most voting hispanics vote for anyone with a hispanic name, no matter what his political persuasion is (9 times out of 10 it's Democrat).