Thread: Chertoff Says U.S. to Crack Down on Hiring of Illegal Worker

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... world_news

Chertoff Says U.S. to Crack Down on Hiring of Illegal Workers

April 20 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced a crackdown on companies that hire undocumented immigrants, including raids that have arrested more than 1,100 people.

The effort is aimed at those who are ``exploiting illegal aliens'' and ``who adopt as a business model the systematic violation of immigration laws,'' Chertoff told reporters today in Washington. The government will ``make sure we come down as hard as possible.''

Chertoff was joined at the news conference by Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Julie Myers. The hiring of undocumented immigrants was the focus of legislation passed by the House of Representatives last year, including increased penalties for those who break the law and a national system for electronically verifying worker status.

The Senate has been debating legislation that would give most of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants legal status if they meet certain criteria. The measure would also create a new visa program for unskilled workers to enter the U.S. to work.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: April 20, 2006 11:27 EDT

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Could it be possible our emails to ICE last week had something to do with this?

I heard this on the news and I was a little surprised, but like everything else we still don't know if they're serious, or just playing a little game with U.S. !!

If it's serious then I say :

But for now I'll remain like this:

I heard him live this morning and I kept yelling chicken plants, chicken plants.

Chertoff - "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah" Heard it all before, buddy. So, does anyone know if the hundreds of illegals that were taken into custody were released (you know, given a citation to appear for court at a later date-ha, ha) or are still in custody awaiting deportation?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/s ... 65,00.html

Feds Warn Companies Using Illegal Workers

Thursday April 20, 2006 10:01 PM

By ANDREW MIGA

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government plans to crack down ever harder on employers who harbor and hire illegal immigrants, pursuing companies that ignore the law so they can exploit cheap labor.

"We are going to move beyond the current level of activity to a higher level in each month and year to come,'' Michael Chertoff said Thursday. He pledged to ``come down as hard as possible'' on violators.

Federal agents on Wednesday arrested seven current and former managers of IFCO Systems, a manufacturer of crates and pallets, on criminal charges, and more than 1,100 people were arrested on administrative immigration charges at more than 40 IFCO sites in the U.S.

"Our nation's communities cannot be a wild frontier where illegal aliens and unscrupulous employees subvert our nation's laws,'' said Julie Myers, assistant secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Don Sherman, director of the Cincinnati Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, an advocate for immigrant workers and their rights, was skeptical about the government's move.

``I think the timing is very suspicious because there are a number of rallies coming up around the country promoting immigration reform,'' he said.

Chertoff denied the timing of the stepped up enforcement had anything to do with recent immigration demonstrations, saying the investigations began more than a year ago.

Messages left with IFCO officials were not immediately returned Thursday. In a statement Wednesday, the company pledged to cooperate with the investigation and comply with state and federal requirements.

The Germany-based company describes itself as the leading pallet services company in America.

More than half of the company's roughly 5,800 employees during 2005 had invalid or mismatched Social Security numbers, the government alleges.

The case began after officials got a tip that IFCO workers in Guilderland, N.Y. were seen ripping up their W-2 forms because they did not intend to file tax returns, Chertoff said.

Six of seven current and former IFCO managers charged with felony conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens were released on bond and are to appear May 4 in Albany, N.Y., where the criminal complaint was filed and the investigation began at a suburban IFCO facility.

The managers could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each alien involved, as well as forfeitures.

"Just a small fine or a slap on the wrist is not a deterrent,'' Myers said.

Most of the 1,187 illegal immigrants arrested are being processed for deportation, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Tina Sciocchetti in Albany.

``They were getting cheated on their overtime,'' she said. ``There were 10 to 20 people living in a house sleeping on air mattresses. They weren't the greatest employment conditions.''

In other recent high-profile immigration cases:

-The operators of three Baltimore restaurants pleaded guilty to immigration charges last week.

-Nine people affiliated with two temporary employment agencies with business in New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania were charged in an alleged $5.3 million scheme involving illegal immigrants.

If Congress provides the money, officials said they plan to add about 200 more agents by the end of next year as they go after companies that violate immigration laws. There are now about 325 agents.

Federal officials also are asking Congress for greater access to workers' Social Security data to help uncover illegal aliens who use bogus identification data.
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Associated Press writers Michael Virtanen in Albany, N.Y., and Pam Easton in Houston contributed to this report.

So, does anyone know if the hundreds of illegals that were taken into custody were released (you know, given a citation to appear for court at a later date-ha, ha) or are still in custody awaiting deportation?

That's exactly what happened. Time to write ICE and let them know that they're not fooling anyone.

added to homepage

http://www.alipac.us/article1169.html

Quote:
The effort is aimed at those who are ``exploiting illegal aliens'' and ``who adopt as a business model the systematic violation of immigration laws,'' Chertoff told reporters today in Washington. The government will ``make sure we come down as hard as possible.''
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Which immigration laws? The real ones, or the ones Bush made up?

The effort is aimed at those who are ``exploiting illegal aliens'' and ``who adopt as a business model the systematic violation of immigration laws,'' Chertoff told reporters today in Washington. The government will ``make sure we come down as hard as possible.''

And that being the case, why didn't they start in Nebraska and Iowa with the meat packing plants where it seems to be common knowledge that they print up fake documents FOR the illegal workers?

Isn't the fact that possibly sick people have their hands on our food more important than some obscure pallet making factory?

You would think that would be a priority Junius, but remember what we are dealing with here. The obvious does not exist for them, which also contributed to 9/11.