Posted on 11/09/2006 3:25:28 PM PST by Puppage
(Stamford-WTNH, Nov. 8, 2006 11:15 PM) _ A Team 8 investigation uncovers criminal activity taking place every day in Connecticut right under the watchful eyes of law enforcement and government officials.
Why isn't anyone doing anything about it?
The reason nothing is being done is because it has to deal with the hot button issue of illegal immigration. The illegal activity we're talking about tonight is not so much about the immigrants as it is about those who hire them.
They gather every day at the crack of dawn at places like the Dunkin Donuts on East Main Street in Stamford and on State Street where the city has placed porto potties and signs that say "Day Laborer No Hassle Zone."
How do we know many of these workers are illegal immigrants? We asked them.
"Are you here legally?" asks Alan Cohn. "No No."
"Do you have a green card? "No that's the problem I don't have a green card."
If it's so obvious many of these day laborers are here illegally why, then, has the city set up an area for them to be picked up?
We wanted to ask Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy but he wouldn't talk to us. Instead, we were referred to the Police Department's Public Information Officer Sean Cooney.
"It's a political decision and a political debate. We enforce the laws of Stamford and Connecticut and we don't enforce immigration laws. It's a federal issue," says Cooney.
But while it's a hot button federal issue, those hiring illegal immigrants are not only breaking federal law but also Connecticut law.
"What kind of work do you do?" asks Alan Cohn. "Everything. I work on roofing. I work on landscaping, carpenter, painting, everything." "When your work at these places do they pay you in cash?" asks Alan Cohn. "Yeah every time they pay in cash."
Pedro Diaz is from Guatemala and like other day laborers, when a truck pulls into Dunkin Donuts, or pulls over on State Street, he scrambles to get to the front of the line.
It happens time after time, truck after truck.
"Excuse me I'm with Channel 8. We're doing a story about day laborers,"says Alan Cohn.
We asked several of the drivers the same simple question and we got some exasperated answers.
"Do you pay them in cash or by check?" asks Alan Cohn. "What? I pay them in cash." "You're not paying taxes on it?" asks Alan Cohn. "Ok where should I go? What do you want me to do.?"
"Does your boss know it's one thing to hire illegals but not paying payroll taxes, that's against the law," says Alan Cohn. "I know but tell him, you know." "Where do you work?" asks Alan Cohn. "Westport." "What company?"asks Alan Cohn. "I can't tell you I'd get in trouble."
Stamford police say when they receive a specific complaint about a specific company breaking labor laws they will investigate.
"It's not something that is something we are dealing with a lot," says Cooney.
The reality is, however, it's happening every day in Stamford in plain sight. Just ask those doing the hiring.
"Well I think the government has rules and laws about legal work and paying payroll taxes,"says Alan Cohn. "Yeah, okay. All right. Fine!"
If it's a federal issue, as Officer Cooney says, why didn't we hear from anyone at Immigration and Customs Enforcement? They wouldn't talk to us on camera either.
YOU GOTTA BE FREAK'N KIDDING ME!!
If you want to stop this illegal immigration;stop patronising the establishments that hire them.That way they'll get the message.
THAT is the power we still have left. Somehow, people have to get this message and act on it. I changed my banking and let them know I couldn't leave my money in a bank that promotes illegality by dealing with aliens. They want my SS # every time I do anything, but aliens don't have to??? Nah.
I have a solution! Why don't we give them amnesty! We'll call it a "Guest Worker" program. That way no one is breaking the law and it will make our country much safer from any terrorists posing as illegal aliens. Doesn't that make sense? ;O)
I saw this report on Channel 8 news last night. I was surprised (and somewhat pleased) by the hard-hitting approach that their reporter used. They were confronting the guys who pick up illegal-immigrant day-laborers (in the illegal-alien pickup zone set up by the city of Stamford) and getting them to admit that they paid the laborers in cash, and did not do payroll tax withholding, and were breaking state and federal laws by doing so. The picture of the mayor's office that they were turned away from made a powerful point, as did their questions of the Stamford police PR guy, who could not give proper answers to their questions...
Connecticut ping!
A few years back the Attorney General announced that under no circumstances with his office enforce any Federal immigration laws nor would his office cooperate in any way with the INS.
should read "Attorney General of Massachusetts"
I seem to remember that besides amnesty our good Senators wanted to give them SS benefits.
Then why not just raise your hands and surrender this country.Because that's whats going to happen if we don't fight this illegal immigration invasion.
Sooner or later the American people will come to their senses and remove the democrats from power and that will be one of the issues that will remove them from power.
ping
Lol! Welcome to California, dude. That's how our state became a province of Mexico. Looks like you're next.
The new term is "Regularization". The rabid nativists of the conservative base got wise to "guest worker" and "comprehensive immigration reform." But we can still fool the rubes if we call amnesty "regularization".
Spoken like a true Republican. And Bush says amnesty is on the way.
When I get paid in cash I usually get a 1099 later on which kind of ruins the excitement. Do you think Manuel Laboror gets a 1099?
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