Thread: CA: ACLU Aids & Abets IAs in Orange County

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Laborers get lesson in the law
Attorneys give advice to workers, who are entrenched in a lawsuit with the city of Lake Forest and sheriff's deputies.
By AMY TAXIN
The Orange County Register
Comments 14| Recommend 3

LAKE FOREST - Always cross the street at the corner. Don't make cars stop in the middle of the road to pick you up for work. And don't give police your address or nationality if you don't want to.

Those are three of the tips that attorneys had for a group of 30 day laborers who gathered on a rainy street corner in Lake Forest Wednesday morning to get some legal advice.

The workers, some who have been picking up odd jobs at Jeronimo Road and Orange Ave. for years, filed a lawsuit against the city of Lake Forest and sheriff's deputies who patrol the area over what they say is a violation of their right to stand on the public sidewalk and seek work.

"They've been harassing employers here for more than a year," said Arturo Lopez, 19. "Do you really think they're going to come back?"

Workers filed the suit last year backed by American Civil Liberties Union opposing an ordinance that banned people from soliciting work on sidewalks in Lake Forest. While the city struck down the rule last spring, ACLU attorneys haven't withdrawn the suit, arguing that deputies still park multiple patrol cars at the corner to intimidate prospective employers and hound workers, asking them to get out of cars once they've been picked up.

Hector Villagra, director of the ACLU's Orange County office, told the workers at a "teach-in" session Wednesday along with day labor organizers that deputies could ticket them for jaywalking, trespassing or causing trouble outside the liquor store across the street but not for seeking work. He also said they don't have to discuss their immigration status with deputies or federal agents, adding they can remain silent like U.S. citizens who are questioned or detained.

"What we want is for you to be able to stand here without harassment and seek work. That's it," he said.

Lt. Don Barnes, chief of police services in Lake Forest, declined to comment on the allegations because of the lawsuit pending in federal court.

Day labor has become a focal point in the debate over illegal immigration in Orange County. While anti-illegal immigration activists have rallied against work sites in a number of cities, immigrant advocates have supported organized recruiting spots like one in Laguna Beach, arguing workers are responding to employers' demand.

Tirath Singh, who owns the liquor store at the corner, said he's had trouble with some workers making catcalls at women customers and buying alcohol for minors. But he recognized he also reaps some benefits, he said, as he sold breakfast to a laborer. "It's both ways – they help me and they hurt me," he said.

Barnes said the department, run by Orange County sheriff's deputies, has received complaints from property owners about public drinking and trespassing and traffic tie-ups as cars slow down and workers edge into the street. "The complaints we get at that location we respond to and address as at any other location in the city," he said.

Guadalupe Rodriguez, 54, said he's been coming to seek work in Lake Forest for the last three years. A little over a week ago, he said he was picked up for a job down the street when sheriff's deputies came by, stopped the car, asked him to get out and issued a citation to the driver.

"The police are putting a lot of pressure on our work," said Rodriguez, a plumber who has worked odd jobs since he came here from Mexico 15 years ago. "They don't want us to be here."

Contact the writer: 714-796-7722 or ataxin@ocregister.com
http://www.ocregister.com/news/work-wor ... -deputies#

POLL

Day laborer rights

Should day laborers be taught about their rights?
Yes

No

http://www.ocregister.com/news/work-wor ... -deputies#
Poll is imbedded in middle of article

"The police are putting a lot of pressure on our work," said Rodriguez, a plumber who has worked odd jobs since he came here from Mexico 15 years ago. "They don't want us to be here."

Gee, do you think, Paco?

Should day labors be taught about their rights?

Yes 26%
No 74%

Total votes 101

Illegal alien day laborers have no more " rights to solicit employement" than do prostitutes or drug dealers standing on the sidewalks or street corners. There is no law that gives them that right. The ACLU lawyers cannot point to one single law that confers to an illegal alien the right to solicit for illegal employment. It simply doesn't exist.

I live here in Orange County and I can tell you this county bends over backwards for the illegals. There's county medical clinics, schooling, legal clinics, etc. Cops rarely arrest illegals when they are pulled over for driving without a license and are released with a promise to appear.


The local Home Depot is an absolute magnet for the illegals as they loiter day after day attempting to secure work illegally. The cops will harass school kids for skateboarding and biking where they shouldn't , but they will not do anything about the illegals standing in front of HD everyday.

Day laborer rights
Should day laborers be taught about their rights?
Yes
23%

No
77%


Total Votes: 120

The workers, some who have been picking up odd jobs at Jeronimo Road and Orange Ave. for years, filed a lawsuit against the city of Lake Forest and sheriff's deputies who patrol the area over what they say is a violation of their right to stand on the public sidewalk and seek work


Is'nt this called "loitering" I have driven through the area and I could not believe the number of Illegal that were all over. Lake Forest was once a nice upscale area. One of the Ross Stores I used to shop in was nice and clean, when I went there recently, is was dirty, clothes all over the floor and not to many people were speaking english. I will not go back!

Day laborer rights
Should day laborers be taught about their rights?
Yes
26%

No
74%


Total Votes: 169

This is surprising. Lake Forest IS very upscale and very "lily white" with a lot of Asian influence thrown in. For some reason, I'm really surprised the people who live there would put up with this. However, another area near me called Rancho Santa Fe is even more rich, and they don't seem to have a problem with them hanging around all over either. I guess as long as they are saving more of thier riches-it simply doesn't matter.