Thread: U.S. vows crackdown on illegal immigrant worker abuse

U.S. vows crackdown on illegal immigrant worker abuse

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The U.S. government under President Barack Obama plans to step up prosecutions of employers who abuse illegal immigrants on the job, a senior U.S. immigration official said in Mexico on Friday.

"(There are) employers who employ illegal labor in abusive conditions, don't pay them the minimum wage, make them work hours beyond the 40-hour week work, don't pay them overtime," said John Morton, who heads the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

"I intend to try to identify and prosecute those people much more vigorously than in the past," Morton told a small group of reporters at the U.S. Embassy after meeting with Mexican officials.

After just three weeks on the job, Morton traveled to Mexico to discuss security along the U.S.-Mexican border, which stretches about 2,000 miles.

Many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States entered the country from Mexico.

"We are going to enforce the law, that's our responsibility. ... I intend to make sure we do that responsibly, humanely and thoughtfully," Morton said.

Morton also said his agency is committed to cooperating with the Mexican government to control the flow of money and weapons south into Mexico, where they are used to help fuel a war with drug cartels that has claimed some 2,500 lives this year alone.

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Will Dunham)

http://www.reuters.com/article/domestic ... 4Z20090606

How about enforcing the laws and DEPORTING the illegals?

Employers abuse the illegals, illegals abuse the American taxpayer. They must both face the consequences!

If only they would crack down on the illegals..........

Doesn't it seem that everyone with minor infractions compared to illegals get punished yet illegals are not only not punished, they are rewarded for their criminal actions.

Illegals steal documents, work under the table, get welfare benefits and free health care, drop their anhors for us to pay for.............so the gov't is going to go after the American people to try to steal more out of their pockets.

The employers who hire illegals are not paying taxes for the illegals and taking jobs from the American people but the illegals criminal actions still trump the employers............but our gov't goes after the employers!

But not a word out of this jerk about going after illegal aliens, you know the ones using forged and stolen documents to be illegally employed in the United States....what a jerk and pandering fool!!!