Illegal Immigrants Say They Remodeled Basement for Congressman Known as Immigration Critic

Associated Press ^ | September 19, 2002 | Jon Sarche

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

DENVER (AP) - A congressman who has been demanding tighter immigration controls is defending himself against allegations that illegal immigrants remodeled his basement. Two employees of a contracting company say they and other illegal immigrants from Latin America helped install a home entertainment center and a bedroom in the Littleton home of Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., The Denver Post reported Thursday.

Last month, after the Post wrote about a young illegal immigrant's struggle to pay for college, Tancredo reported the teen and his family to the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

On Thursday, Tancredo said that when the remodeling was done last fall, he never asked about the workers' immigration status.

Even if the workers were in the country illegally, "what is my responsibility at this point in time?" Tancredo said in a telephone interview from Washington. "I go to dinner at restaurants and probably have come into contact with people who are here illegally. I do not ask, of course. It is actually illegal and you can be sued."

The contractor, Creative Drywall Designs, and subcontractor Denver Audio Design said all their employees are in the country legally.

The newspaper said it would not identify the workers because they could get in trouble with INS.

Tancredo said enemies he made in lambasting the INS and in seeking strict enforcement of immigration laws are trying to discredit him.

"The fact is that I am a controversial figure," he said. "I have rankled the feathers of people who are immigration support groups and illegal immigrants themselves, so I am not surprised that somebody might make this accusation to embarrass me."

Tancredo called the INS after reading about honor student Jesus Apodaca and his family, illegal immigrants from Mexico who live in Denver. The congressman said INS officials told him they did not have the resources to try to take the family into custody.

Tancredo has pushed for use of troops to guard the borders.

"It is the government's responsibility to enforce our immigration laws, and if the INS were doing its job, no illegal immigrant would be available to violate our labor laws," Tancredo said in the Post.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

The newspaper said it would not identify the workers because they could get in trouble with INS.

Completely unbeliveable-

[B Knotts]

So, the guys were working for a company, not Rep. Tancredo, the company says they don't hire illegals, the accusers won't give names, but the AP runs the story anyhow?

Yeah. That's really fair.

[B Knotts]

FYI BUMP

[Consort]

Tancredo could do or say what he wants as long as he doesn't cause his party to lose more votes than he can gain for them.

[Frohickey]

The newspaper said it would not identify the workers because they could get in trouble with INS.

Does this make the newspaper an accomplice in aiding and abetting a known criminal?
Or did the newspaper make up the whole story in order to make a story, in the process, ruining its credibility?

[Marine Inspector]

Completely unbelievable

Agreed.

We need Congressmen like Tancredo in Washington.

[Marine Inspector]

Smear campaign in the making.

[lelio]

Yeah. That's really fair.
But it is 'fair' for the congressman to try and spend the least amount of money by going with a company that hirers illegals and thus spends less on their labor costs.
Sounds like the congressman just doesn't like the looks of illegals, but when they are behind the scenes, like doing the dishes at a restaurant, then they are okay.

[ofMagog]

We need Congressmen like Tancredo in Washington.

Worth repeating!

[Marine Inspector]

Even if the workers were in the country illegally, "what is my responsibility at this point in time?" Tancredo said in a telephone interview from Washington. "I go to dinner at restaurants and probably have come into contact with people who are here illegally. I do not ask, of course. It is actually illegal and you can be sued."

What part of ILLEGAL do you not understand?

[Cacique]

A Must Read by Everyone on the subject of immigration (click on picture)

The Hardcover edition.

[LiteKeeper]

Me thinks I smell a (Demo)Rat

[Miss Marple]

It is the Congressman's responsibility to check with the contractor to make sure all workers are documented, particularly when he is making such a stink about this issue. If he did not, he was quite foolish.

I believe in LEGAL immigration, and all landscape companies and the roofing contractor we used had to guarantee in writing that only legal labor would be used.

This is not a hard thing to do.

[SpaceBar]

The newspaper said it would not identify the workers because they could get in trouble with INS.

I believe this makes the newspaper guilty of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.

[lelio]

What part of ILLEGAL do you not understand?
(provided that it is illegal to ask, I'm not sure if it is and need to see a source on it)
So you're cool with the congressman's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy in regards to who he is hiring?
I'm just saying that he should be a little consistent on his stand. He can't be all "let's kick out illegals" but think its okay if they put together his stereo equipment.

[gubamyster]

Two employees of a contracting company say they and other illegal immigrants

Please somebody get their names have them deported immediately, as well as issuing fines to the construction company.

[Marine Inspector]

It is the Congressman's responsibility to check with the contractor to make sure all workers are documented, particularly when he is making such a stink about this issue. If he did not, he was quite foolish.

It is the contractor's responsibility to not hire illeglas, for it is against the law.

It is not the Congressman's responsibility, or anyone's responsibility to check with the contractor. That is a personal choice. If the contractor were a legitimate licensed bussiness, he would not have illegals, just like he stated in the article.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

The contractor, Creative Drywall Designs, and subcontractor Denver Audio Design said all their employees are in the country legally.

END of subject. The Contractor is the one responsible for thier employee's!!

[Still Thinking]

It would be illegal for the contractor to hire them without verifying their eligibility to work. So is the paper saying it is still Tancredo's responsibility to double check on the contractors hiring practices? Don't forget, it is entirely possible that he wasn't even on the premises when the work was done, and may have never even seen the "illegals". Even if he were onsite and chose to ask because of their apparent ethnicity, they'd be accusing of racial profiling. So what exactly do they want him to do?

[Willie Green]

Me thinks I smell a (Demo)Rat

Why would you dismiss the possibility that Vicente Fox persuaded Dubya to initiate this?