Thread: Job Site Busted a 2nd Time For Illegal Workers

Written by KGMB9 News - news@kgmb9.com
September 23, 2008 05:26 PM

One month after busting 41 illegal aliens at a Maui construction site, U.S immigration and customs enforcement agents raided the same site again Monday, arresting 21 more.

The immigrants were working at the construction site of the Maui luxury condominium project Honua Kai.

The Pacific Resource Partnership works to keep local jobs with local residents.

The executive director says he's pleased with the job law enforcement is doing to take these illegal workers off job sites.

"We don't begrudge anyone who comes to Hawaii or the US to try and make a better living and earn a better life, but we do have very serious bone to pick with the employers who have total disregard for any of the social or economic exploits that they're having upon these workers," said Kyle Chock of the Pacific Resource Partnership.

The 21 arrested yesterday were all males from Mexico and Brazil. One man was from Slovakia.

They have been flown to Oahu for deportation proceedings.

No word on whether the subcontractor that hired the workers, Global Stone Inc., will be punished

No word on whether the subcontractor that hired the workers, Global Stone Inc., will be punished

Thats nice.

Found another article concerning the raid and continued violation of the laws by the same company but does not or can not identify any of the officers of the company.

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.de ... tml?nav=10

21 illegal immigrant workers arrested on Maui
The Maui News and The Associated Press

POSTED: September 24, 2008 Save | Print | Email
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Federal agents arrested 21 illegal immigrant workers early Monday morning at a Honokowai condominium construction site, the second such raid at the same site in a little more than a month, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

The arrests were for "administrative immigration violations," particularly for entering the country without authorization, said agency Special Agent in Charge Wayne Wills.

The workers were at the Honua Kai project site where 23 alien workers from three different companies were taken into custody on Aug. 20.

Those arrested then included 13 employed by Global Stone Inc., officials said.

All those arrested Tuesday worked for Global Stone, which Wills said was operated by a number of the arrested men.

Prompted by complaints about illegal workers, the raids are part of a continuing investigation. Federal agents received cooperation from LEDCOR Hawaii, the project's general contractor, and they were assisted by the Maui Police Department. LEDCOR gave agents consent to enter the construction site.

"We are troubled by the fact that we continued to receive reports about unauthorized aliens working for Global Stone Inc. despite prior enforcement actions," said Wills.

Monday's "operation is part of ICE's ongoing efforts to target employers and employees who violate our nation's hiring laws.

"ICE will use every enforcement and investigative tool against employees and employers who fail to heed our warnings."

Hawaii U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said he was "deeply troubled by what seems to be the same companies repeatedly employing undocumented workers in our state.

"I know they feel that they can just plead ignorance about the status of their employees. But I strongly advise them to think again, because if there is enough evidence, we will aggressively pursue all available remedies."

The arrested workers - all men - included 12 from Mexico, eight from Brazil and one from Slovakia.

All were taken to a federal detention center in Honolulu where they face deportation proceedings.

Kyle Chock, executive director of Pacific Resource Partnership, faulted unethical contractors for the immigration violations.

"We don't begrudge the workers who come to this country in search of an opportunity to better themselves and their families, as Hawaii itself has an immigrant history," Chock said.

"But we are extremely concerned about employers who disregard the social and economical consequences they have on Hawaii's economy and the workers they employ."

Pacific Resource Partnership is a consortium of labor unions and development corporations formed to promote interests of developers who use union labor in Hawaii.

While commending federal immigration agents for their work, "we are deeply bothered by those employers who have repeatedly demonstrated their total lack of respect for the law by continuing to use subcontractors on their projects who persist in hiring illegal aliens," Chock said.

Global Stone obtained a Hawaii contractor's license on Aug. 13, just a week before the first raid that collared its employees.

It is registered as a business along with Blackrock Stone & Tile Co. with an address at a condo in Kahana, but state business records do not show the names of any of its principals.

Tuesday's raid was the latest in a series on illegal immigrant workplaces and homes this year.

In July, federal agents arrested 43 illegal immigrant farm workers in Waipahu during a raid on an apartment complex.

In May, immigration agents arrested 22 suspected illegal immigrant workers at two chain restaurants on Maui.

A few months before that, immigration officials arrested 19 foreign nationals on immigration charges at a downtown Honolulu construction site and a Halawa warehouse.

Below is the link to the website for the "Honua Kai project site" where the ILLEGALS were arrested. Doesn't list or I could not find the purchase price, I'm certain the ILLEGALS added to their bottom line, but none the less it is interesting.

http://www.honuakai.com/

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Just for the heck of it below is the website for "Playground Destination Properties Inc" that seems to control not only the "Honua Kai project site" in Muai but several projects around the world, maybe also with cheap ILLEGAL labor. Interesting is that two of the company officers have titles of "Senior Vice President of the Americas" and "Executuive Vice President of the Americas". At least I found the site interesting.

http://www.playground.com/

The Pacific Resource Partnership (PRP) is the joint Market Recovery program of the 6,000-member Hawaii Carpenters Union, Local 745, and its 400 signatory contractors across the state. This non-profit trust fund program was established in 1987 to promote the benefits of union carpentry from unionized contractors that compete for $3 billion or more in public and private construction projects in Hawaii each year.

See, in Hawaii the union stands up for its own workers---against the nationwide policy of welcoming illegals with open arms. On the mainland unions have gone t--s-up for illegals.