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.

[joeyman]

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.

Now Miss Marple, do you check the immigration status of every employee at every grocery store and restaurant you frequent? It shouldn't be a complete pain in the ass to be a congressman.

[Poohbah]

For the express purpose of determining if people are in the country illegally?

For the express determining if they are legally able to work in this country.

Determining their legal status is a secondary effect.

[chaosagent]

Why would you think Tancredo knows who the illegal aliens are? How would he know.

I had 6 guys in my house several months ago doing some remodeling. Except for the guy I hired (who I had used before) I have no idea who the workers are. Are you saying that I should have ask for ID's and done background checks?

I also have no idea who the guys are that show up every week to do my grass. And I guess need to start checking out my waiter at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

Yeah, right.

[Poohbah]

Non-story. If Tancredeo had hired the workers, then they'd have something. But he didn't, he contracted with a company to perform a job. If there's a problem here, it's with the company not Tancredo.

Tancredo's an idiot for NOT checking this out.

And his answer saying that checking their paperwork was illegal was disingenuous at best.

[L.N. Smithee]

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.

Sounds like you are one of those people who thinks we should just pretend that the United States doesn't have borders and everyone who just shows up should have the full benefit of citizenship -- even after having broken American law to get here.

[Poohbah]

Why would you think Tancredo knows who the illegal aliens are? How would he know.

He is in the position of needing to keep himself absolutely spotless on this issue.

I had 6 guys in my house several months ago doing some remodeling. Except for the guy I hired (who I had used before) I have no idea who the workers are. Are you saying that I should have ask for ID's and done background checks?

Are you a Congresscritter with strongly-expressed views regarding illegal immigration?

[nanny]

"Next, check the SSNs with the Social Security Administration. If the number is invalid, stop right there and fire the contractor. If the number is valid, check the first three digits to see if they're from your immediate area, and ask the SSA to make sure if the account is getting FICA taxes from one region only. A non-English-speaking laborer with an SSN issued in Montana is a touch dubious"

Again I am not doubting you, but I find it hard to believe it is that easy or the SS administration will give you that information. You could be right and I will try if the situation ever occurs. What exactly do you mean by valid? Are you asking if, in fact, there is such a SS# or if it is a 30 year old male or a 70 year old female?

Of course, I will tell you most of these workers have more than one SS# - one of them is bound to seem good.

[L.N. Smithee]

What would you like Tancredo to do? Just abandon the issue?

Do you even agree with his stance on immigration?

[Poohbah]

Again I am not doubting you, but I find it hard to believe it is that easy or the SS administration will give you that information. You could be right and I will try if the situation ever occurs. What exactly do you mean by valid? Are you asking if, in fact, there is such a SS# or if it is a 30 year old male or a 70 year old female?

I've generally phrased it as "is this number showing up in two different states at the same time?"

So far, I haven't caught anyone using a real SSN, but I've caught some fakes.

[chaosagent]

Do I take it that you also ask for documents of the cooks at your favorite restaurant, the clerk who waits on you at Sears, and the guy behind the counter at the 7-11?

You must be a busy boy.

[Go Gordon]

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.

Hey clueless, he said he asked the contractor and the contractor gave his assurance the workers were legal. Thats all that he's required to do, and in fact, if he tried to do background checks, the Rats would be all over him for racist acts and abuse of power.

[L.N. Smithee]

if he tried to do background checks, the Rats would be all over him for racist acts and abuse of power.

Durn right. Can you imagine the headlines? "Tancredo: I don't want wetbacks working in my house!"

[Poohbah]

What would you like Tancredo to do? Just abandon the issue?

I'd like him to quit hiding behind his misinterpretation of the law and actually verify his contractor's employee status, as I've had to do.

Do you even agree with his stance on immigration?

I am against illegal immigration. I do not think that his proposed remedy for illegal immigration--parking a few thousand troops on a 2,000-mile-long border--is going to make any significant change in illegal immigration.

Personally, I think the only way we're going to end illegal immigration is viua "regime change" in Mexico. I use "regime change" deliberately.

[Poohbah]

Compared to you, who doesn't check ANYTHING, yes.

At least I'm honest in checking the people who come into my home. You, on the other hand, talk a good anti-illegal-immigration game, but you give a wink and a nudge when it's YOUR pocketbook in play.

[L.N. Smithee]

Personally, I think the only way we're going to end illegal immigration is viua "regime change" in Mexico. I use "regime change" deliberately.

Uh, yeah. OK, now comes the easy part -- how do we effect "regime change" in Mexico, Poohb?

[Poohbah]

How do you think we're gonna do it Iraq, L.N.?

[Tancredo Fan]

Delete it. We should have done it in 1848.

[Tancredo Fan]

I came across another article today that describes a situation involving an illegal alien criminal who had been working illegally at Denver Airport. He was busted in the recent sweep, but let go in error (typical INS incompetence... a year after 9/11. Disgraceful.). What was the moocher doing when he was busted again? Trying to illegally steal another job... just after he was arrested for illegally working here! Read on:

Arrest stymies job hunt

Worker caught up in DIA sweep was freed inadvertently

By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News
September 19, 2002

Alfredo Hernandez, arrested Tuesday in the sweep of illegal workers at Denver International Airport, had planned to spend Wednesday hunting for a new job.

It didn't turn out that way.

He was free for less than 24 hours before being picked up by federal immigration agents.

Authorities said a mixup caused Hernandez, a cook for McDonald's at the airport, to be released. He was inadvertently turned loose by a magistrate after federal prosecutors did not ask that he be detained.

"At the time of his initial appearance (Tuesday), we were not aware that there was an INS detainer on him," said Jeffrey Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.

The magistrate ordered Hernandez freed on a personal-recognizance bond and told him to return to federal court on Friday.

However, Nina Pruneda-Muniz, spokeswoman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, said agents took Hernandez into custody Wednesday morning for allegedly violating immigration laws.

Hernandez was one of 110 workers at DIA named in a federal grand jury indictment for, among other offenses, using bogus Social Security numbers to obtain jobs.

Hernandez was accused of misusing a Social Security number.

After his release from custody Tuesday afternoon, he told reporters that he would attempt to search for a job on Wednesday because he needed to support his family.

Hernandez, 29, said he had been in the United States for about a year after selling "everything" in his native Vera Cruz, Mexico, so he could migrate north.

He had worked for McDonald's about five months.

Illegals are criminals from the git-go. They have no intention of obeying any U.S. laws. Letting illegals go on U.S. soil is treasonous. They and their gaggles should be immediately booted out immediately and their assets seized.

[L.N. Smithee]

I'd like him to quit hiding behind his misinterpretation of the law and actually verify his contractor's employee status, as I've had to do.

What state do you live in? Are you in Colorado? I know that in California, the Dems are always trying to sneak laws in the code that encourage illegals to come, settle, receive benefits from the state, and vote for them. Do you know for a certainty that Tancredo is being disingenuous?

[Poohbah]

I agree. The 19th century would have been a bit messier, but the 20th and 21st would be far more prosperous.