"After the biggest immigration raid in U.S. history, hundreds of workers have been sentenced but not one company official as yet faces any charges - something critics say is typical of a federal government that is tough on employees but easy on owners. Worker advocates and lawmakers say the fact that nearly 400 workers were arrested in the May 12 raid at the Agriprocessors Inc.
"Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal of Council Bluffs said he plans to resume work in January on legislation aimed at preventing employers from hiring immigrant workers as independent contractors when they should be considered actual employees. He said he also supports sanctions on employers that knowingly hire undocumented workers. "We think the real cause of this problem isn't people who are trying to seek a better life for themselves and their family.
"The number of illegal immigrants arrested and deported from Oklahoma and North Texas is on pace to exceed last year's number by 40 percent, the Department of Homeland Security says...." http://www.star-telegram.com/448/story/672379.html
AP, 30 May 2008
At first blush, I'm sure some will find the news of big California ag firms expanding operations in Mexico to be a negative reaction to increased enforcement against illegal immigration.
Look deeper, however, and this is yet more proof that a constant and escalating enforcement will create an attrition in the illegal population in the U.S. -- and will allow agricultural capitalism to begin to work properly without the distortion of an amnesty.
"In the ever-deepening quagmire that is illegal immigration, it's not an easy road for any legislation dealing with the issue. Currently, the legislation is HR 5515, the New Employee Verification Act (NEVA).
"After months of political wrangling, South Carolina's legislative leaders said Tuesday they have reached a compromise on an illegal immigration proposal that would require all businesses to verify their employees are legally here...." http://www.wbt.com/news/details.cfm?article_id=37260
AP, 27 May 2008
"Work-site arrests of illegal immigrants have increased tenfold nationwide to nearly 5,000 last year, according to the federal government. Images of the raids have been splashed on television news reports and on the front pages of Spanish-language newspapers around the country...." http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-letters27-2008may27,0,7438900.story
Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2008
"Denying illegal immigrants the chance to pay only in-state tuition at Arkansas colleges and universities is a matter of law, not of personal choice or opinion, Gov. Mike Beebe said Monday...." http://news.aol.com/story/_a/beebe-law-bans-in-state-tuition-for/n20080526141809990006
Jon Gambrell, AP, 26 May 2008
Last week, 270 illegal aliens who had been working at the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa, were convicted of working with false documentation. This is a marked change from previous immigration raids, where illegal workers were simply deported.
At least 100 immigration agents raided the Agriprocessing plant in Postville, Iowa, at around 10 am (cst) on Monday, May 12. Immigration officials told local authorities that 600-700 arrests were expected at the plant -- a facility that employees around 1,000 individuals.
The ICE raid was executed to look for evidence of suspected identity theft and fraudulent use of Social Security numbers, among other crimes. Immigration agents were also granted permission to investigate individuals suspected of being in the United States illegally.
At least 100 immigration agents raided the Agriprocessing plant in Postville, Iowa, at around 10 am (cst) on Monday, May 12. Immigration officials told local authorities that 600-700 arrests were expected at the plant -- a facility that employees around 1,000 individuals.
The ICE raid was executed to look for evidence of suspected identity theft and fraudlent use of Social Security numbers, among other crimes. Immigration agents were also granted permission to investigate individuals suspected of being in the United States illegally.
The House Democratic leadership continued its assault on immigration enforcement at a May 6 House Ways & Means Subcommittee hearing on the SAVE Act (H.R. 4088).
The Peabody Corporation of Newport News, Va., along with the company's president and vice president, was convicted of hiring at least 126 illegal aliens between 2003 and 2007. Peabody operates a fishing fleet out of Newport News and used illegal aliens on 322 trips.
"For the first time since significant numbers of Latinos began arriving in Stillmore in the late 1990s, the plant's processing lines were made up predominantly of African-Americans..." http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07017/754517-28.stm
The Wall Street Journal via Pittsburgh Post Gazette; January 17, 2007
"For much of the past decade, according to the women and other neighbors, parking was bumper-to-bumper and most of the empty houses were packed with Latino residents they believe were in the country illegally.
"'People are afraid to get out of their house now,' explained Maria Fuentes. 'Their afraid to go shopping or do their normal things. They just stay home and try to not get out...'" http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8194978&nav=menu1406_1
WRCB-TV (Tenn.); April 18, 2008
"'The state of Oklahoma ought not be in the business of subsidizing the presence of people who are here illegally,' said Republican state Rep. Randy Terrill, sponsor of the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2007, also known as House Bill 1804. 'HB 1804 proves that attrition through enforcement works,' Terrill added..." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-immigrant_bdfeb10,0,4213105.story
Chicago Tribune; February 10, 2008
"A federal crackdown on illegal immigrants in the workplace has triggered a tsunami of work for immigration lawyers, who say fears of getting hit with an immigration raid or audit are at an all-time high among employers..." http://www.dailyreportonline.com/Editorial/News/singleEdit.asp?individual_SQL=2/8/2008@21162
Daily Report; February 8, 2008
"More than 100 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a printer supply manufacturer in the San Fernando Valley on Thursday, taking into custody about 120 employees for being in the country illegally and arresting eight on federal criminal charges, authorities said." http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080207-2159-ca-immigrationraid.html
Associated Press; February 7, 2008
The mainstream media and open borders groups constantly reiterate to the American people that there are only two solutions to our nation's illegal alien crisis – give illegal aliens amnesty or round them up and deport them.
NumbersUSA Director of Government Relations Rosemary Jenks discusses fraud and loopholes in our immigration enforcement agencies can be exploited by terrorists with CNN's Lou Dobbs.
"'The No. 1 reason people come here illegally is for jobs, and if employers are able to continue to employ illegal aliens we will continue to have an influx of illegal aliens,' said Caroline Espinosa, a spokeswoman for NumbersUSA, a Washington nonprofit that lobbies for limiting immigration..."
Miami Herald
"[S]tarting at 6 a.m. Wednesday, two days after the Board of Aldermen overwhelmingly approved the identity card plan, federal agents swept into the largely Hispanic Fair Haven community and arrested some 31 people suspected of being illegal immigrants, many in their homes. Within hours, any sense of sanctuary that the city and advocates for immigrants advocates had developed over the years was turned upside down, replaced with fear..." http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/nyregion/08haven.html
