Thread: Federal immigration crackdown may cost CA. nursery

03.30.11

Federal immigration crackdown may cost California nursery

By Stephen Magagnini
The Sacramento Bee

The Department of Homeland Security — stepping up its enforcement against employers who hire undocumented workers — may cost 71 Sacramento, Calif., nursery workers their jobs.

The workplace audit came during Matsuda's busiest season. After cold and heavy rains ruined March, the 130-acre wholesale nursery on Florin Road was finally starting to ship hundreds of thousands of pink, magenta and violet azaleas and other spring plants to markets throughout California.

Ten of the 71 workers have supplied new papers "and may be OK," said Matsuda's sales manager Tom Wing. "We told everybody to bring forward their documentation by Friday or you can't work here."

Though the 12- acre nursery's multimillion-dollar business is being hit hard by an action that could cost them half their workers, "the human toll is the real problem," said an emotional Wing. "Our company's heartsick – we're losing members of our family. Some have been here as long as we have, 22 years or more. They're raising kids, buying homes and cars, paying taxes."

The workplace audit reflects the Obama administration's heightened emphasis on employers. In Northern California, 192 worksite enforcement cases were initiated in fiscal years 2009 and 2010. About $900,000 in fines have been levied on the region's employers during the Obama administration.

"Our goal in these cases is to determine whether a business is complying with the law," said Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

The new focus reduces the need for large-scale enforcement actions where employees were rounded up and arrested.

"This administration has directed us to use all the enforcement tools at our disposal when we investigate these cases and one of these is an increased emphasis on the use of civil fines," said Kice. From 2008 through July 31, 2010, ICE levied more than $4 million in fines nationally and last year criminally charged a record 180 employers, managers or supervisors.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/30/2 ... kdown.html

good start .
check every state & you will see that whey are all illegal Immigrant s
come to NYC & you will a have a party & up state NY
On Rt 9 they are all illegal Immigrant it one hell Of a mess
No amnesty

Sacramento nursery loses most of its staff in immigration crackdown
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-232752.html

"Some have been here as long as we have, 22 years or more. They're raising kids, buying homes and cars, paying taxes."

While many of our people lose their jobs and homes and can barely afford a car or their kids.

You mean to tell me that in 22 years these people never tried to become legal??????

The employer shouldhave hired legal workers int he first place. If the workers are illegal then arrest all of them and deport them and their families.

they're buying houses, and cars besides raising kids. as for the paying taxes part, I don't believe that one and, how are these people able to buy homes in this country seeing that they are Illegally in the country. these folks are not working for slave wages because for one thing the slaves never got paid they are making more than minimum wage and thats the truth. they are doing better than the citizens of this country and, there is something very wrong with that.

Originally Posted by Kiara

"Some have been here as long as we have, 22 years or more. They're raising kids, buying homes and cars, paying taxes."

While many of our people lose their jobs and homes and can barely afford a car or their kids.

You mean to tell me that in 22 years these people never tried to become legal??????

Thats just it, they don't want to become citizens of this country because, they have got it made by just being in the country "ILLEGALLY" and receiving what ever they demand from the "IDIOTS" in the federal government. "IF YOU HAD SOMEONE PAYING FOR YOUR FOOD, HOUSING, MEDICAL CARE AND YOUR CHILDS EDUCATION WHILE YOU SEND MONEY FROM YOUR EARNINGS BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, WOULD YOU WANT TO BECOME LEGAL" these people have got it made here and they know it. we are the ones being $hi* on by our very own government. and I don't believe for a minute that they are paying taxes either. while the government is taking from the citizens of this country, they are giving and giving to those who are in the country "ILLEGALLY". there may not be a COLA in 2012 for those on SS again for the third year in a row. they don't care how American citizens get by or if they get by. as long as they are taking care of Illegals that is all that matters to them.