Thread: Hispanic groups slam Swift raids

The audacity of us for enforcing laws! More demands!

http://washingtontimes.com/national/200 ... -6534r.htm

Hispanic groups slam Swift raids
By Jerry Seper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
December 20, 2006


The nation's oldest and largest Hispanic membership organization yesterday condemned as "unnecessary" the raids last weeks at Swift & Co. meat-packing plants in six states, saying further raids should be halted until Congress passes immigration reform legislation.
"We demand a halt to further immigration raids unless the government demonstrates that a particular arrest is necessary to protect public safety or for national security," said Rosa Rosales, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
"The manner in which the raids were conducted has caused psychological harm to the immigrants and their families," said Ms. Rosales, adding that LULAC is working with the Justice Department to investigate possible civil rights violations. "We must enforce our laws in a humane manner that balances our economic and security needs with our national values."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who swept through the six meat-processing plants last week arrested 1,282 illegal aliens as part of an ongoing investigation into a massive identity-theft conspiracy. The arrests culminated a 10-month ICE probe known as Operation Wagon Train that targeted workers at Swift plants in Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Iowa and Minnesota.
Those arrested included illegal aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, Laos, Sudan and Ethiopia.
Swift, which sought in an unsuccessful lawsuit to stop the raids, has not been charged. The company, which employs 15,000 workers, argued that the raids would cause "substantial and irreparable injury" to its business.
Ms. Rosales said LULAC will challenge any violations of the workers' constitutional rights in court and has joined with other national Hispanic organizations, including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the National Council of La Raza, in sending letters to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff urging for a temporary halt on the raids.
She said there is concern that some Swift workers arrested in Minnesota were denied access to an attorney and noted that only 65 of those arrested had pending criminal charges.
She said Congress needs to overhaul immigration law in the first quarter of 2007 and create a process for immigrants to "strengthen our economy legally rather than forcing them to work in the shadows and terrorizing them with ineffective workplace raids."
Meanwhile, a $23 million lawsuit by 18 former Swift employees accused the company of conspiring to keep down wages by hiring illegal workers. The former workers, all legal U.S. residents who worked at a Swift processing plant in Cactus, Texas, said they were the "victims in a long-standing scheme" by the company to "depress and artificially lower the wages of its workers."
The suit seeks $23 million in exemplary damages and the back wages that would have received if the workers had remained employed. Filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Dallas, it accuses Swift of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy to manipulate commerce.

why don'r lulac investigate the possibility of civil rights being broken of the victims here, the Americans who are having their identity's stolen by these poor hard working people! Hello, is there anybody out there who cares about Legal American citizens being victimized here No, there isn't? Thats about what I expected

"The manner in which the raids were conducted has caused psychological harm to the immigrants and their families," said Ms. Rosales, adding that LULAC is working with the Justice Department to investigate possible civil rights violations.

Who's working with the Justice Department on our behalf to ensure that our immigration laws are enforced?

"We must enforce our laws in a humane manner that balances our economic and security needs with our national values."

Exactly, so what's your beef, Ms. Rosales? To my knowledge no one physically abused the illegal and as for psychological harm - are you now a qualified phycatrist? Moreover, we are extremely worried about the economics of our middle class and lower wage earning American citizens and their physical and job security! As for national values, I do believe the expectation of obeyance of our laws is part of those national values you're talking about. Hmmm.....does the "rule of law" have any place in your agenda?

nitty said:

Hello, is there anybody out there who cares about Legal American citizens being victimized here

The lamestream media should make a big noise about this. We know there are countless people who have been victims of this. I've heard a little in the news but their nightmare experiences should be publicized big time. CNN or FOX up to the challenge? They could find plenty of cases to follow through on.

I'm still waiting for an elected official's relative to be a victim of this, or better yet, the elected official him/herself. But then again, they probably wouldn't admit it.

Unbelievable, no sorry, it is believable, since for LULAC and all of the others it is all about their "raza", not about what is right and lawful.

I can also guarantee that miss LULAC is not concerned with the civil rights of the illegals from non-Hispanic countries.

BTW, wasn't this the ding dong woman who Lou Dobbs had on that panel in Texas, onstage and she would not answer him, but kept interupting and rattling on like the hatted nimwit she appeared to be?

AmericanElizabeth said:

BTW, wasn't this the ding dong woman who Lou Dobbs had on that panel in Texas, onstage and she would not answer him, but kept interupting and rattling on like the hatted nimwit she appeared to be?

Yep, that was her. I'll never forget 'Rosa.' Lou mentioned her name enough times to get it embedded in my brain.

CONTACT INFO

LULAC National Office
2000 L Street, NW, Suite 610
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 833-6130
Fax: (202) 833-6135
9AM to 6PM EASTERN

LULAC statement off their web sight


Press Release
LULAC Urges Moratorium on Immigration Raids Pending Congressional Action on Immigration Reform.

December 18, 2006

Contact: Lizette Jenness Olmos
(202) 833-6130 ext. 16


Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens condemns the unnecessary worksite raids that took place last week at six Swift & Co. meatpacking plants. Over 1,300 employees were arrested and families were separated from their children in the towns of Greeley, Colorado; Grand Island, Nebraska; Cactus, Texas; Hyrum, Utah; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Worthington, Minnesota.

“We demand a halt to further immigration raids unless the government demonstrates that a particular arrest is necessary to protect public safety or for national security,” said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales. “The manner in which the raids were conducted has caused psychological harm to the immigrants and their families. LULAC is working with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice to investigate possible civil rights violations based on reports that Latinos were treated unfairly during the raids. We must enforce our laws in a humane manner that balances our economic and security needs with our national values.”

LULAC plans to challenge any violations of the workers constitutional rights in court. We have joined with other national Hispanic organizations, including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) in sending letters to U.S. Secretary Michael Chertoff urging for a temporary halt on the raids. There is concern that some arrested in Minnesota were denied access to an attorney in violation of federal law. Of the1, 200 individuals arrested only 65 have criminal charges pending against them. The rest have been placed into administrative proceedings.

“Every labor-intensive industry including the hospitality, construction, agriculture and restaurant industries will be adversely impacted if these raids continue,” said Rosales. The Swift & Co. meatpacking plants have been running at reduced levels since the arrests just as demand for their products is peaking during the holiday season.

LULAC calls upon Congress to take action. Raids are unfair to the immigrants, their employers, their communities and our economy and disruptive to towns where immigrants have settled. Congress must overhaul immigration law in the first quarter of 2007 and create a process for hardworking immigrants to strengthen our economy legally rather than forcing them to work in the shadows and terrorizing them with ineffective work place raids.

The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic membership organization in the country, advances the economic conditions, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

LULAC l 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 610 l Washington, DC 20036 l (202) 833-6130 Fax: (202) 833-6135

MALDEF National Headquarters · 634 S. Spring St., 11th Floor · Los Angeles, CA 90014 · (213) 629-2512

National Council of La Raza
Raul Yzaguirre Building
1126 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. 202-785-1670

National Office-- NALEO
1122 W. Washington Blvd., Third Floor
Los Angeles, California 90015
Tel: (213) 747-7606
Fax: (213) 747-7664

Hispanic National Bar Association.
815 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 223-4777

the hell with LULAC
the hell with MALDEF

and all these groups who always think the US laws are wrong and that we need to have borders. and that people are only coming here to work.

hmmm yeah stealing identity is obeying the law.
hmmm crossing into a country to avoid detection is obeying the law.
hmmm being in possession of forged documents is obeying the law
hmmm having said documents to frauduently work is obeying the law.

OH WAIT. this is LULAC, they dont think the hispanics are law breakers,
UH HUH......... tell that to the peoples whos ID was stolen

jamesw62

You for got... Hell with the ACLU!

LULAC and La Raza have always complained about laws that are designed to deter crime and punishment. For instance, they have been opposed to gang deterance laws because they feel they have to protect Hispanics. Well, what is the problem? They seem to believe Hispanics are the only gangsters? Those people are so radical, I don't know who in their right mind would continue to give them funds.

Dixie

Steaming here too.

MALDORF was in our town only last week helping the illegals sue our town once AGAIN.


Immigrant-rights group eyes class-action suit
(http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article)

December 8, 2006

By RYAN PAGELOW Rpagelow@scn1.com

WAUKEGAN -- While the city plans to appeal a federal court ruling against the vehicle seizure ordinance, immigrant rights groups are mulling the possibility of a class-action lawsuit against that law.

About 175 immigrants who had their car towed under the controversial ordinance met Wednesday night at San Luis Mexican Restaurant with representatives of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Lawyers from MALDEF are reviewing the recent court ruling and similar cases, said Ricardo Meza, the group's regional counsel.

"We want to see what the likelihood of success of this case on appeal is because we want to use the information to decide what we're going to do," he said. "We want to see if there is a possibility of another group of people to challenge the ordinance."

The meeting in both English and Spanish was intended to give general information about the history of Waukegan's vehicle seizure ordinance and an overview of lawsuits filed against the city regarding the law.

Following the meeting Meza spoke individually with residents who had their cars towed under the ordinance because they did not have a valid driver's license. He was interested in talking to only people who had someone else in the car who had a valid license, people who called someone with a valid license that arrived before the tow truck did, or people who were parked in their garage or driveway when police seized their vehicles.

He cautioned the audience not to expect anything from MALDEF at this time while it decides what it will do.

"I don't want people to rely on something that may or may not happen in the future," Meza said. "We are looking at it as quickly as possible, but can't promise if we will do anything."

A class-action lawsuit needs a large number of people with common issues and typical facts.

MALDEF filed suit against the city in federal court in 2004 alleging a group of Latinos were shut out of a City Council meeting in July 2004, a violation of their First Amendment rights.

The suit alleges 75 residents attempted to enter City Hall to attend a City Council meeting to voice their opposition to Waukegan's vehicle seizure ordinance but were met by police who said only 10 members would be allowed into the meeting.

At about the same time, local resident Larissa Harrington filed suit in federal court over a September 2003 traffic stop in which her car was towed after her son was pulled over and was found to be driving with an expired license. The car was seized despite the fact Harrington came to the scene and displayed her license and insurance.

Last month, U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lefkow ruled the city's policy violates Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure, writing that the ordinance does not give police officers discretion in individual cases.

The seizure ordinance originally targeted vehicles used in the solicitation of prostitution or narcotics, but the City Council voted in December 2002 to include vehicles used in the commission of driving under the influence, driving on a suspended or revoked license, or driving without liability insurance.

Later, the measure was expanded to include driving without a valid license or permit. In all cases, violators were subject to having their vehicles towed from the scene under a $500 bond.

To retrieve the car, owners had 30 days to pay not only the $500, but also a $150 towing fee and $30 per day in storage fees.