Thread: Fallout from Obama immigration policy; Dropping factory raid

Fallout from Obama immigration policy; Dropping factory raids, U.S. requires bosses to fire unauthorized workers

The International Herald Tribune
October 1, 2009 Thursday
BY JULIA PRESTON - LOS ANGELES

Rather than conducting workplace raids, the administration of Barack Obama is requiring employers to dismiss unauthorized workers.

American Apparel, the sportswear brand with stores around the globe, is firing about 1,800 immigrant employees in the coming days - more than a quarter of its work force - after a U.S. government investigation turned up irregularities in the identity documents the workers presented when they were hired.

The firings at the company's vast garment factory in Los Angeles have become a showcase for the efforts by the administration of President Barack Obama to reduce illegal immigration. Rather than conducting workplace raids, it is requiring employers to dismiss unauthorized workers.

The firings, however, have divided opinion in California over the new approach, especially at a time of record joblessness in the state and with a major, well-regarded employer as a target.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, called the dismissals ''devastating.'' His office has said that the U.S. government should focus on employers that exploit their workers.

American Apparel has been lauded by city officials and business leaders for paying well above the garment industry standard, offering health benefits and not long ago giving $18 million in stock to its workers.

But opponents of illegal immigration back the enforcement effort. They say American Apparel is typical of many companies that have ''become addicted to illegal labor,'' as Representative Brian P. Bilbray, a Republican from San Diego, put it. ''Of course it's a good idea,'' he said of the crackdown. ''They seem to think that somehow the law doesn't matter, that crossing the line from legal to illegal is not a big deal.''

In July, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, known as ICE, opened audits of employment records similar to the one at American Apparel at 654 companies around America. John T. Morton, who, as assistant secretary of homeland security, runs ICE, said the audits covered all types of employers with immigrant workers, including many like American Apparel that were not shadowy sweatshops or serial labor code violators.

The investigation at American Apparel was started 17 months ago, under President George W. Bush. Obama administration officials point out that they have not followed the Bush pattern of concluding such investigations with a mass roundup of workers. Those raids drew criticism for damaging businesses and dividing immigrant families.

Immigration officials said they would now focus on employers, primarily wielding the threat of civil complaints and fines, instead of raids and worker deportation. ''Now all manner of companies face the very real possibility that the government, using our basic civil powers, is going to come knocking on the door,'' Mr. Morton said. The goal, he said, was to create ''a truly national deterrent'' to hiring unauthorized labor that would ''change the practices of American employers as a class.''

The employees being fired from American Apparel could not resolve discrepancies discovered by investigators in documents they presented at hiring and U.S. Social Security or immigration records - raising the possibility that the documents were fake. Peter Schey, a lawyer for American Apparel, said that ICE had cited deficiencies in its record keeping, but the authorities had not accused the company of knowingly hiring unauthorized workers. A fine threatened by the agency was withdrawn, Mr. Schey said.

After months of discussions with ICE officials, the company moved on its own to dismiss the workers because, Mr. Schey said, U.S. government guidelines for such cases are ''in a shambles.'' The Bush administration proposed rules for employers to follow when workers' documents did not match, but a court halted the effort and the Obama administration decided to abandon it.

With its bright-pink, seven-story sewing plant in the center of Los Angeles, American Apparel is one of the biggest manufacturing employers in the city, and makes a selling point of the ''Made in U.S.A.'' labels in its racy T-shirts and miniskirts. Dov Charney, the company's chief executive, has campaigned, in T-shirt logos and eye-catching advertisements, to ''legalize L.A.,'' by granting legal status to illegal immigrants, a policy Mr. Obama supports.

On a recent visit to American Apparel's factory floors here, amid the whirring of sewing machines and the whooshing of cooling fans, a murmur of many languages rose: mostly Spanish, but also Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Portuguese. Masseurs were offering 20-minute massages for workers in need of a break. But there was also a mood of mourning, as work was interrupted with farewell parties. The majority of workers losing their jobs are women, most of whom are working to support families. Many departing workers have been with the company for a decade or more.

Executives said many workers had learned skills specific to a proprietary production system that allows American Apparel to make 250,000 garments a week in Los Angeles, while keeping prices competitive with imports from places like China.

Some workers who are leaving said the company had been a close-knit community for them. Jesús, 30, originally from Puebla, Mexico, said he was hired 10 years ago as a sewing machine operator, then worked and studied his way up to an office job as coordinating manager.

''I learned how to think here,'' said Jesús, who asked that his last name not be used because of his illegal status. The company provides health and life insurance, he said, and he currently earns about $900 a week, with taxes deducted from his paycheck.

Like many others, Jesús said his next move was to hunt for work in Los Angeles. He will not return to Mexico, he said, because he is gay and fears discrimination.

''Being realistic,'' he said, ''I guess I'm going to have to go to one of those sweatshop companies where I'm going to get paid under the table.''

ICE has made no arrests so far at the factory. But Mr. Morton said the agency would not rule out pursuing workers proven to be illegal immigrants.

Mr. Schey said company human resources managers had added new scrutiny to hiring procedures. But workers facing dismissal pointed to the line of job applicants outside the factory one recent day, who, like many of them, were almost all Spanish-speaking immigrants.

''I think the Americans think that garment sewing is demeaning work,'' said Francisco, 38, a Guatemalan with nine years at the plant who is being forced to leave. A top supervisor, he is training new hires to replace him.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 20&start=3

"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, called the dismissals ''devastating.'' His office has said that the U.S. government should focus on employers that exploit their workers."

They will never be satisfied until our country is flooded with illegals and they are exercising control in political decisions.

Moved from Other Topics to News.

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Halt to gov't raids not an option to boost census

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... c&p=960511

Only problem is they aren't doing any workplace raids.

Each of the affected workers is using a fake or stolen Social Security number to work. Why is this not a crime punishable by stiff sentences? Is it any wonder that ID theft is out of control?
All the workers have to do is come back with a new ID card and Social Security number, (preferrably a valid one from a real citizen). That is why the line of new applicants look just like the workers who were let go.....

I see this American Apparel popping up all over, continuesly breakng the law. but haven't seen any indictments nor fines served to the owner. Has anyobody else?

Originally Posted by Stressedindigo

I see this American Apparel popping up all over, continuesly breakng the law. but haven't seen any indictments nor fines served to the owner. Has anyobody else?

Of course we are not going to see any "indictments" arising from the "audit" on American Apparel. Our government no longer arrests illegal invaders, nor charges the employers for hiring said illegals! This despite the fact that in the American Apparel case, one third of the companies workers were illegal.

This despite the fact that American Apparel has continued to flaunt their disregard for immigration law - through militant campaign ads and even hanging a massive banner down the side of their downtown LA sweat shop claiming, "Legalize LA!"

Yet authorities claim there was no evidence American Apparel "knowingly" hired illegal invaders! Thus, no fines and no indictments!


This is our goverrment's way of enforcing immigration law!