Thread: CA:Nunez blasts DHS over workplace immigration raids

Nunez blasts Homeland Security over workplace immigration raids
Daily News
Article Last Updated: 04/17/2008 11:03:44 PM PDT


State Assembly speaker Fabian Nunez and 22 other state lawmakers blasted the Department of Homeland Security Thursday, calling for the federal agency to halt immigration raids at the workplace.
The California legislators, in a terse letter to Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff, asked for a moratorium on the raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents until they can have a "frank exchange" over their methods.

The letter cited the Feb. 7 raids of a Van Nuys toner and ink manufacturing plant where authorities detained 130 people, and cames a week after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa asked the federal government to review its immigration policy.

"This raid resulted in numerous very clear violations of constitutional rights as well as the egregious and offensive mistreatment of workers," the letter said. "The manner in which ICE has conducted its workplace raids and overly aggressive investigation practices is unacceptable on societal grounds and questionable, at best, on legal grounds."

The raids angered immigration and civil rights groups who said agents blocked detainees from legal counsel and detained legal residents. In the letter, the legislators suggest that immigration officials are not focusing on California employers who "knowingly and willingly abuse workers by disregarding the immigration laws."

State lawmakers said the letter was a response to comments Chertoff made to The Associated Press last week -- that there would be no changes in enforcement unless Congress makes broad changes to the immigration law.
"This is harsh but accurate proof positive that, for the first time in decades, we've succeeded in changing the dynamic and (are) actually beginning to reduce illegal immigration," he said in the April 12 report. "Unfortunately, unless you counterbalance that with a robust system to allow people to come in temporarily and legally, you're going to wind up with an economic problem."

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