Thread: CO - Impact of Swift Raid Still Being Felt ( bring tissue)

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/l ... 84,00.html

Impact of Swift raid still being felt
Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky


Santiaga Lopez, Marleny Navarro's sister-in-law, holds Adelfa as Lopez's daughter, Blanca, sits near a pot of homemade tamales. Lopez's husband and Navarro were arrested during the Swift raid in Greeley.
STORY TOOLS


By Fernando Quintero, Rocky Mountain News
May 12, 2007
GREELEY - Nearly four months after immigration officials raided the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant, Juana Velazquez finally got her husband back.
But their problems aren't over.

Velazquez's husband was among the 261 suspected illegal immigrants arrested Dec. 12 after the raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Swift's Greeley headquarters. ICE agents also raided five other Swift plants nationwide and arrested 1,282 workers.

After sitting in an Aurora detention facility for 15 weeks, Manuel Velazquez was allowed to post bail on April 3. He will appear in immigration court on June 20 for a deportation hearing.

He is not allowed to work, and Juana, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, said she is unable to find a job.

"I don't know how I'm going to pay the rent this month or feed my family," said the mother of five, waiting recently for the last $50 grocery gift card she would receive from a local Catholic church. "I don't know who to turn to."

The Swift raids were the largest workplace crackdown ever by ICE. Critics of illegal immigration applauded the action. But for people who were arrested and their families, the impact of the raid is still being felt.

"I think there's a general impression that the raid came and went, and that everything is back to normal. The truth is, it's not over yet," said Father Mario Ramirez, the vicar at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Greeley.

"There are mothers and fathers still being detained. Uncles and aunts are taking care of those children. People can't find work but they still have to pay rent, mortgages and groceries," Ramirez said. "There is fear and uncertainty."

Donated money dries up

After the raid, thousands of dollars were collected to help the families with basics such as food and rent. Catholic Charities USA alone has helped 130 families whose loved ones were arrested at the Swift plant.

But the money is all but gone, creating even more uncertainty.

Most of the people arrested have been deported, left the country on their own, or are waiting to appear before an immigration judge. Five others have completed sentences for having false identifications.

Fifteen to 20 workers remain in custody at the ICE detention facility in Aurora, said Christina Fiflis, a Boulder immigration attorney who has represented scores of Swift workers.

Those still in the area and their families are having a tough time finding work.

The raid has made local employers more reluctant than ever to hire anyone without proper documentation. Even those who find a job have to worry about being discovered.

Marta Morales, a mother of six who avoided arrest by hiding in the Swift plant's fabrication department, used a different name to land a job at a local restaurant. But she said she was fired after five days when a co-worker identified her as a former Swift employee.

With few options left, some families have gone back to Mexico or Guatemala. Morales hopes to stay, intending to join the ranks of migrant fieldworkers.

"There is no work in Guatemala for women like us, women with little or no skills or preparation," she said.

"Even if they pay me $5 an hour, I come out way ahead than if I was working in my home country. At least I was able to send money to my mother, who has no one to help her since my father died," she said.

She said her husband, a legal resident, has been able to pick up some extra hours at his job to make ends meet.

"I'm hoping that I'll be able to at least find farm work when the weather gets warmer," Morales said. "Maybe they won't ask for documents."

Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Loveland, a vocal supporter of opening an ICE office in Greeley, said he was "encouraged" by the effects of the Swift raid on the community.

He also cited legislation such as House Bill 1017. The state law that went into effect Jan. 1 requires employers to follow stricter procedures to document that new workers are here legally.

"If, in fact, more employers and employees are playing by the rules, and if people who are here illegally are finding it difficult to disobey the law, that's good news for my constituents," Lundberg said.

Children are the priority

After the raid, donations poured in from all over the country. But the safety net for families has unraveled.

"There was a tremendous response from the public. But none of us expected this to drag on this far," said Helen Somersall, director of Catholic Charities of Denver, Northern Colorado Office.

Swift donated $60,000 through United Way of Weld County for the affected families. United Way raised an additional $26,000 in private donations. A coalition, including representatives from United Way, Catholic Charities and Our Lady of Peace helped coordinate the aid.

"Our priority has been the children. We were concerned with their immediate needs, that they were housed, warm and safe. There's little left that can be done for many of the remaining families. Social services such as food stamps and Medicaid, undocumented people do not qualify for," Somersall said.

Al Frente de Lucha, a longtime Hispanic community organization, was part of the coalition helping the Swift families. But project manager Ricardo Romero left the group, frustrated by what he called "unnecessary red tape" and a lack of coordination by some of the agencies.

"They were making people jump through hoops, and that's not what these people need right now," said Romero, who said his organization raised an additional $8,000 for food.

At his storefront office in the heavily Hispanic east side of Greeley, the building covered with colorful murals of Hispanic leaders and political slogans, Romero was distributing the last of the beans, rice and other staples.

"There's not a lot we can do now for the people, but at least I'm proud to say that not one kid ended up in social services," he said. "That speaks to the cohesiveness of this community."

Among those who had stopped by for food recently were illegal Guatemalan immigrants Marleny Navarro and her sister-in-law, Santiaga Lopez.

They share a modest home with their husbands and U.S.-born children in central Greeley. Pictures of Jesus, saints, the Virgin Mary and Pope John Paul II cover the living room walls.

Navarro had worked for three years at Swift before she was arrested and released later the same evening. Lopez said her husband, also a Swift worker, was picked up and jailed for nearly four months before she raised the $10,000 her attorney said was needed to get him out. Most bonds were between $2,000 and $5,000, said Fiflis, the Boulder attorney.

Taking advantage?

Sylvia Martinez, a Greeley community activist, said a major concern was that some attorneys and notarios - notary publics that, in some parts of Latin America, are considered similar to attorneys - might be charging desperate families too much to get their loved ones out of jail.

While her husband was in jail, Lopez, who said she can neither read nor write, collected aluminum cans with Navarro. Her husband will appear before an immigration judge in August. Until then, he has worked a few labor jobs with Navarro's husband at construction sites.

"There's nothing for us in Guatemala but poverty and sadness," said Lopez, whose primary language is a dialect called K'iche. "There, we planted corn and beans. My husband made $11 a day - on a good day."

Navarro was seven months pregnant when she was taken into custody. She was given the option of voluntary departure or a hearing before a judge. She chose the hearing, scheduled for Oct. 20.

Navarro's husband, a legal resident, works construction jobs. At Swift, she made more than twice as much as he does.

"We're just getting by, but I don't care about that," she said. "I ask God every day to let me stay with my family here."

Gee I would write a check to them but can't find my pen

"I don't know how I'm going to pay the rent this month or feed my family," said the mother of five, waiting recently for the last $50 grocery gift card she would receive from a local Catholic church.

If you are an illegal who at any time could be arrested for working illegally and may not have the money to pay your rent, maybe you shouldn't have 5 kids. I know of many people who are legal immigrants or American citizens, have good paying, steady jobs and they can't afford to have 5 kids. But then again, they don't get free healthcare, welfare, food stamps, etc. Maybe people like these illegals should think about the consequences of their illegal activity, instead of whining when they are finally arrested and forced to face the result of their unlawful ways. I have no sympathy at all for these lawbreaking invaders.

The raid has made local employers more reluctant than ever to hire anyone without proper documentation. Even those who find a job have to worry about being discovered.

As it should be, employers need to know there are conseqiences for hiring illegals, maybe the Swift raids will teach them a lesson. Saving money on wages doesn't cover the costs of the potential fines or jail time you might face if you are caught. As for the illegals, you can't break the law and go around feeling as though you are totally immune from prosecution. You are lawbreakers, you are document forgers and identity stealers, you are illegal drivers and on and on. If we as American citizens can't break the law and can't go around moaning and bitching about how we think the laws are unfair, then you damn well shouldn't think that you can. Get used to it, or better yet: DON'T BREAK THE LAW, and you won't have to worry.

These are the consequences for breaking the law! Should have done it legally and you wouldn't be in your predicament!

The article states that Swift donated $60K, WTF!!!!! They shoud have been fined that amount in penalites!
Where is La raza, Mecha, Atzlan, why are they not donating to keep "their people" fed, clothed, housed.

You won't find them helping out their own, because they rely on the American Government and the taxpayers to foot the bill!

Originally Posted by blkkat99

Where is La raza, Mecha, Atzlan, why are they not donating to keep "their people" fed, clothed, housed.

You won't find them helping out their own, because they rely on the American Government and the taxpayers to foot the bill!

Right you are blkkat99 & us taxpayers have had enough of their BS already.

After sitting in an Aurora detention facility for 15 weeks, Manuel Velazquez was allowed to post bail on April 3. He will appear in immigration court on June 20 for a deportation hearing.

I thought catch and release had ended????????

Originally Posted by Newmexican

With few options left, some families have gone back to Mexico or Guatemala.

1.) If they obeyed the law they wouldn't be in this position
2.) If our Govt. Enforced our laws we wouldn't have to hear about this heartbreaking story, and it is heartbreaking, however they have put themselves in this position.

3.) See Senator Kennnedy! If you remove the incentives, which brought them here in the first place, they will just go home.

Originally Posted by had_enuf

Originally Posted by blkkat99

Where is La raza, Mecha, Atzlan, why are they not donating to keep "their people" fed, clothed, housed.

You won't find them helping out their own, because they rely on the American Government and the taxpayers to foot the bill!

Right you are blkkat99 & us taxpayers have had enough of their BS already.

I keep wondering why they don't take some of that "billions" they sent home to help their "community", their "people" here?! I mean, isn't that what we do? Money is taken that could be used to support our own families to help the illegals out with all the social services and other things they steal from our country...and they're not even "our people".

After the raid, donations poured in from all over the country. But the safety net for families has unraveled.

"There was a tremendous response from the public. But none of us expected this to drag on this far," said Helen Somersall, director of Catholic Charities of Denver, Northern Colorado Office.

Swift donated $60,000 through United Way of Weld County for the affected families. United Way raised an additional $26,000 in private donations. A coalition, including representatives from United Way, Catholic Charities and Our Lady of Peace helped coordinate the aid.

Why wasn't this MONEY/DONATIONS used to send these people HOME to their respective countries?

Instead, they are going to go thru "hardships" that were PREVENTABLE had the donations been used WISELY!!

Looks like CATHOLIC CHARITIES caused MORE PROBLEMS for these poor people

The United Way also contributed a large amount of money. They're just as much at fault.

This article also highlights the sheer poor education of many illegals coming into the country. One of these women in the article could neither read nor write, and speaks an unusual Guatemalan language that almost NO ONE in America will understand!! Yeah, and I wonder why she can't get a job with all this and also being an illegal.

These kind of the "poorest of the poor" do nothing but bring our social system down!! They ARE slave labor!!

But, yes, I agree with Reptile. Give these women some birth control!! (They might actually think about how many kids they are having if the Catholic religion didn't preach about NO birth control and "the bounties of God" in having as many kids as you can!!!) I don't have many problems with religion, but it really ticks me off to see un-checked and out-of-control birth rates supported by the Catholics, just to increase their number of followers!!!! This religion supports the abject poverty of their parishioners!! It's sickening!! Where's the teachings on responsible parenthood?? (e.g. don't have more kids than you can afford!)

TexasGal